What is the root of the word "sacrilegious"?

Search: sacrilegious

Why: It's not "religious." I know that much.

Answer: From Latin sacrilegus, "one who steals sacred things" - sacer, "sacred" + legere, "to gather"

Source: Answers.com

The More You Know: When the sacrilegious offense is verbal, it is called blasphemy, which means "evil speaking."