defilement
/di'failmənt/
Definition
Noun: 1. The act of making something impure, dirty, or unclean; the state of being polluted. This can refer to physical contamination or to a violation of something's purity, sacredness, or honor. 2. (Archaic/Law) The act of violating someone's chastity, especially a woman; rape.
Usage
- Defilement is a formal and often strong word, typically used in contexts involving serious pollution, moral corruption, or the desecration of something considered pure or sacred.
- It is commonly used with prepositions like of (defilement the temple) and by (defilement waste).
Examples
- Environmentalists protested the defilement of the river by industrial chemicals.
- The ancient text spoke of the defilement of the holy sanctuary by invaders.
- (Archaic) He was accused of the defilement of a young woman from the village.
Advanced Usage
- Spiritual/Moral Defilement: Used in religious or ethical contexts to describe a state of spiritual impurity or sin.
- In some traditions, certain actions are believed to cause spiritual defilement.
- Defilement of Character: A metaphorical use describing the tarnishing of a person's reputation or honor.
- The false accusations led to the public defilement of his good name.
Variants and Related Words
- Defile (verb): To make dirty, unclean, or impure; to violate the purity or sanctity of.
- They warned not to defile the sacred ground.
- Defiled (adjective): Describing something that has been made impure or polluted.
- The defiled altar was no longer used for ceremonies.
Synonyms
- Pollution (focuses on environmental or physical contamination)
- Contamination (similar to pollution, often used for substances)
- Desecration (specifically for violating something sacred)
- Profanation (the act of treating something sacred with irreverence)
- Violation (a broader term for breaking a rule or sanctity)
- (Archaic) Corruption, Debasement
Antonyms
- Purification
- Cleansing
- Sanctification
- Consecration
Notes
The second, archaic meaning related to sexual violation is now considered outdated and offensive in general usage. Modern legal and social terminology uses terms like rape or sexual assault. The primary contemporary meaning of defilement concerns pollution and desecration.
Noun
-
the state of being polluted
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