Pharisaic

or Phar·i·sa·i·cal

[ far-uh-sey-ik or far-uh-sey-i-kuh l ]

/ ˌfær əˈseɪ ɪk or ˌfær əˈseɪ ɪ kəl /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR Pharisaic ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

of or relating to the Pharisees.

(lowercase) practicing or advocating strict observance of external forms and ceremonies of religion or conduct without regard to the spirit; self-righteous; hypocritical.

Origin of Pharisaic

1610–20; < Late Latin Pharisaicus < Greek Pharisaikós. See Pharisee, -ic

Related forms

Phar·i·sa·i·cal·ly, adverbPhar·i·sa·i·cal·ess, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pharisaic

This largely resulted from the Pharisaic instinct that assumes superiority over other men.
The Art of Letters|Robert Lynd
Here they are leagued with the Sadducees, and are the declared foes of the Pharisaic party.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 6|Various
This appears nowhere more strikingly than in his dealing with his pharisaic critics.
The Life of Jesus of Nazareth|Rush Rhees
Should the heathen be required to follow even the severe Pharisaic ordinances?
History of the Jews, Vol. II (of 6)|Heinrich Graetz

In these and in other ways Paul's Pharisaic career was doubtless thrown in his teeth.
The Expositor's Bible: The Epistle to the Galatians|G. G. Findlay

British Dictionary definitions for pharisaic

Pharisaic

Pharisaical

/ (ˌfærɪˈseɪɪk) /

adjective

Judaism of, relating to, or characteristic of the Pharisees or Pharisaism

(often not capital) righteously hypocritical

Derived Forms

Pharisaically, adverbPharisaicalness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012