irreverence means the state or quality of being irreverent; want of proper reverence; disregard of the authority and character of a superior. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 80 out of 100.
Why “irreverence” is a great word
Irreverence is a lack of proper respect, especially toward something held sacred or venerable. From Middle English irreverence, from Latin irreverentia, from irreverēns ("irreverent, disrespectful") + -ia (suffix forming abstract nouns). First recorded in English 1300–50. Unlike "disrespect," which denotes a broader discourtesy, or "blasphemy," which is a targeted profanation of the divine, irreverence is the posture of levity toward the solemn. It is the stifled laugh in the hushed cathedral, the doodle in the margin of a holy text, and the pointed joke told at the solemn dinner—a quiet, human correction to the weight of imposed awe.
Etymology
From Middle English irreverence, from Latin irreverentia, from irreverēns (“irreverent”) + -ia (suffix forming abstract nouns). By surface analysis, ir- + reverence.
noun
- The state or quality of being irreverent; want of proper reverence; disregard of the authority and character of a superior.