Pharisee

[ far-uh-see ]

noun

1. 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.
2. (lowercase) a sanctimonious, self-righteous, or hypocritical person.

Pharisee

/ ˈfærɪˌsiː /

noun

1. 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
2. often not capital a self-righteous or hypocritical person

Word History and Origins

Origin of Pharisee¹

before 900; Middle English Pharise, Farise, Old English Farīsēus < Late Latin Pharīsēus, variant of Pharīsaeus < Greek Pharīsaîos < Aramaic pərīshayyā, plural of pərīshā literally, separated

Word History and Origins

Origin of Pharisee¹

Old English Farīsēus, ultimately from Aramaic perīshāiyā, pl of perīsh separated

Example Sentences

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first the inside of the cup and of the platter, that the outside thereof may become clean also.

From Project Gutenberg

I never see such a flow of language as that bit where he called old Gommy a superannuated Pharisee.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus it came to pass that many of these had entered the kingdom, while the self-complacent Pharisee still remained without.

From Project Gutenberg

Or was he only a subconscious Pharisee, self-deceived and complacent?

From Project Gutenberg

Evidence of the popular dislike of the conservative Pharisee abounds.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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