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holier-than-thou
[ hoh-lee-er-thuhn-thou ]
/ ˈhoʊ li ər ðənˈðaʊ /
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adjective
obnoxiously pious; sanctimonious; self-righteous.
noun
a person who is obnoxiously pious or self-righteous.
QUIZ
CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?
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Question 1 of 7
Which sentence is correct?
Origin of holier-than-thou
First recorded in 1910–15
Words nearby holier-than-thou
holiday, holiday camp, holidayer, holidaymaker, holiday season, holier-than-thou, holily, holiness, Holinshed, holism, holistic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023