The process by which objects, places, times, or activities lose their sacred character and become ordinary or profane. This involves the removal of religious significance from previously holy elements of culture and society.
Formed from Latin prefix 'de-' (removal) and 'sacer' (sacred), the term emerged in 20th-century religious studies to describe the opposite of consecration. It reflects broader patterns of secularization but focuses specifically on the loss of sacred qualities rather than institutional changes.
Try Another Word