a crime, esp. high treason, committed against the sovereign power.
b.
an offense that violates the dignity of a ruler.
2.
an attack on any custom, institution, belief, etc., held sacred or revered by numbers of people: Her speech against Mother's Day was criticized as lese majesty.
Also, lèse majesty.
Origin: 1530–40; < F lèse-majesté, after L (crīmen) laesae mājestātis (the crime) of injured majesty
"offense against sovereign authority, treason," 1536, from Fr. lèse-majesté, from L. læsa majestos "violated majesty," from læsus, pp. of lædere "to hurt, injure, damage, offend, insult," of unknown origin.
[leez] 
