An offense committed against a sovereign power (this would include both kings and elected governments), particularly one which affronts the dignity or sense of self-importance of this sovereign power. Lèse-majesté describes both intentional and unintentional offenses.
The term would begin to take on an ironic or even sarcastic meaning when the supposed offense is unreasonably manufactured in the mind of the sovereign, as seen in the example below.
The term would begin to take on an ironic or even sarcastic meaning when the supposed offense is unreasonably manufactured in the mind of the sovereign, as seen in the example below.
"This wrong sort of Sunnis, known as the Muslim Brotherhood, commits the ultimate lèse-majesté of believing in the ballot box as a source of authority rather than royal lineage." Source: New York Times, opinion page, article titled "A Middle East Primer", dated 31 Jan 2014
by Cristina Y February 14, 2014
Get the Lèse-majesté mug.The crime of violating, criticizing, or harboring even for one second the thought that Obama is not the greatest thing that has ever existed in modern times or ever will exist.
Variation of Lèse majesté applied specifically to the anointed one, Barack Obama.
Variation of Lèse majesté applied specifically to the anointed one, Barack Obama.
One of my Obamatron friends turned me into the thought police for violatin Lèse Obamajesté after I posted a non-gushing comment about Obama on my facebook.
by Hoke is it January 20, 2009
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