pharisee
pharisee Lexical Profile
pharisee Game Scores & Validity
• noun
(Usually capitalized) A member of an ancient Jewish religious and political sect during the Second Temple period, distinguished by strict observance of both the written Mosaic law and oral tradition.
"Biblical scholars study the complex theological debates between the Pharisees and the Sadducees in first-century Judea."
A self-righteous, sanctimonious, or hypocritical person who emphasizes outward observance of rules or morality over genuine sincerity.
"The novelist portrayed the town magistrate as a cold-hearted pharisee who judged others harshly while hiding his own failings."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized as 'Pharisee,' the word refers historically to a member of the ancient Jewish religious movement; in lowercase or figurative usage, it carries a strongly pejorative connotation of hypocrisy and self-righteousness, which modern historians note does not fairly reflect the diversity of the historical group.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English and Old French, via Late Latin Pharisaeus and Ancient Greek Pharisaios, ultimately derived from Aramaic Perishayya and Hebrew Perushim, meaning 'separated ones' (from the verb parash, 'to separate').