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Podcast: Word of the Day
Episode: Lese majesty
Description: Lese majesty is a noun that refers to an attack on a custom or tradition.
The Latin phrase leasa majestas (la AYS uh ma JACE dus) translates to ‘injured majesty.’ After being imported into French, it took a new meaning, and became a reference to any attack on conventional behaviour.
The lese majesty back in my old high school was for people to wear their pants backwards. I don’t know if it succeeded in injuring the majesty, but it sure made trips to the bathroom a lot longer.