profanation

noun

Etymology: From Middle French prophanation, profanation, and its source, Late Latin profanatio, from the participle stem of Latin profānō.

1. The act of profaning; desecration, blasphemous behaviour, defilement.

   “those which mocke and condemne it, intend neverthelesse to wrong this noble vertue; but onely to condemne the abuse and profanation of so sacred a title[…].”

   “[…] but there is a time and a season for all things, and we look upon such attempts as that before us, with a certain portion of respect for a good intention, but as a lamentable want of judgment and good taste, not to speak of a familiarity with the phraseology of Scripture, little short of profanation.”