pious

[pahy-uhs]

adjective

1. having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations.

   Synonyms: reverent, godly, devout

2. characterized by a hypocritical concern with virtue or religious devotion; sanctimonious.

3. practiced or used in the name of real or pretended religious motives, or for some ostensibly good object; falsely earnest or sincere.

   a pious deception.

4. of or relating to religious devotion; sacred rather than secular.

   pious literature.

5. having or showing appropriate respect or regard for parents or others.

pious

/ ˈpaɪəs /

adjective

1. having or expressing reverence for a god or gods; religious; devout

2. marked by reverence

3. marked by false reverence; sanctimonious

4. sacred; not secular

5. archaic,  having or expressing devotion for one's parents or others

Other Word Forms

• piously adverb
• piousness noun
• prepious adjective
• prepiously adverb
• pseudopious adjective
• pseudopiously adverb
• quasi-pious adjective
• quasi-piously adverb
• semipious adjective
• semipiously adverb
• semipiousness noun
• superpious adjective
• superpiously adverb
• superpiousness noun
• unpious adjective
• unpiously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of pious¹

First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin pius, akin to piāre “to propitiate”

Word History and Origins

Origin of pious¹

C17: from Latin pius, related to piāre to expiate

Synonym Study

See religious.

Example Sentences

Using the same descriptions for carnal matters tends to irritate the pious, but it isn’t improper in the least.

Read more on Salon

It’s also a bit surprising that “Black Phone 2” turns out to be so pious and deeply Christian, which is a bit of an odd mix.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In Mumbai, the Jain community, which considers feeding pigeons a pious duty, has been vocal in their protests.

Read more on BBC

Moyers’ preacher-like delivery and emphasis on high moral standards in his commentaries led some people to criticize him as being a pious scold.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Secularism permeates the nation’s liberal founding documents — the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights — even as the history of Saint-Gaudens’ statue of my pious ancestor demonstrates the idealistic tenacity of religious faith.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• born-again 
• devout 
• righteous 
• saintly 
• sanctimonious