hypocrite

American  

[hip-uh-krit] / ˈhɪp ə krɪt /

noun

1. a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that they do not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.

2. a person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, especially one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie their public statements.

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hypocrite British  

/ ˈhɪpəkrɪt /

noun

1. a person who pretends to be what he is not

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Other Word Forms

• hypocritical adjective
• hypocritically adverb
• superhypocrite noun

Etymology

Origin of hypocrite

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English ipocrite from Old French, from Late Latin hypocrita, from Greek hypokritḗs “a stage actor,” hence “one who pretends to be what he is not,” equivalent to hypokrī(nesthai) ( hypocrisy ) + -tēs agent suffix

Example Sentences

Like schoolyard kids forced to shake hands after a nasty fight, Americans could use a healthy respect for good form, even at the risk of being hypocrites.

From The Wall Street Journal

We would all benefit from a dose of good form, even if it makes us hypocrites.

From The Wall Street Journal

We would all benefit from a dose of good form, even if it makes us hypocrites.

From The Wall Street Journal

While historians often portray Cromwell as “a hypocrite or a double-dealer,” here he’s a dexterous politician, a pragmatic and adaptable leader who “could ride two horses at once, while advancing three agendas.”

From The Wall Street Journal

"I'm not a hypocrite. I'm the breadwinner, earning my living there for my wife and children," Sopian Suputra, who works as a security guard at the plant, said.

From Barron's

Related Words

• bigot
• charlatan
• crook
• impostor
• phony
• trickster