Pharisee
a member of a Jewish sect that flourished during the 1st century b.c. and 1st century a.d. and that differed from the Sadducees chiefly in its strict observance of religious ceremonies and practices, adherence to oral laws and traditions, and belief in an afterlife and the coming of a Messiah.
(lowercase) a sanctimonious, self-righteous, or hypocritical person.
Origin of Pharisee
1Words Nearby Pharisee
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use Pharisee in a sentence
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also.
His Last Week | William E. BartonI never see such a flow of language as that bit where he called old Gommy a superannuated Pharisee.
The Chequers | James RuncimanThus it came to pass that many of these had entered the kingdom, while the self-complacent Pharisee still remained without.
Expositor's Bible: The Gospel of Matthew | John Monro GibsonOr was he only a subconscious Pharisee, self-deceived and complacent?
The Quickening | Francis LyndeEvidence of the popular dislike of the conservative Pharisee abounds.
The Cradle of the Christ | Octavius Brooks Frothingham
British Dictionary definitions for Pharisee
/ (ˈfærɪˌsiː) /
Judaism a member of an ancient Jewish sect that was opposed to the Sadducees, teaching strict observance of Jewish tradition as interpreted rabbinically and believing in life after death and in the coming of the Messiah
(often not capital) a self-righteous or hypocritical person
Origin of Pharisee
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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