philistines
philistines Lexical Profile
philistines Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Plural form of philistine: people who are hostile or indifferent to culture, the arts, and intellectual pursuits, often favoring material or commonplace values instead.
"The avant-garde painter dismissed his harsh critics as narrow-minded philistines who could not appreciate modern art."
(Capitalized as Philistines) An ancient non-Semitic people of Aegean origin who settled along the southern coast of Canaan in the 12th century BCE and frequently conflicted with the Israelites.
"Archaeological excavations in Ashkelon and Ekron have shed new light on the material culture and origins of the ancient Philistines."
Word Nuance & Usage
When capitalized ('Philistines'), the word refers to the historical ancient people of Canaan; in lowercase ('philistines'), it is used pejoratively to describe people who are indifferent or hostile to art and culture.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'Philistin', via Late Latin and Greek from Hebrew 'P'lishtim' ('people of Pelisht'). The modern figurative sense of an uncultured, materialistic person was popularized in English by Matthew Arnold in the 19th century, adapting German university slang 'Philister' (used by students to mock townspeople).