philistine
[ fil-uh-steen, -stahyn, fi-lis-tin, -teen ]
/ ˈfɪl əˌstin, -ˌstaɪn, fɪˈlɪs tɪn, -tin /
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noun
(sometimes initial capital letter) a person who is lacking in or hostile or smugly indifferent to cultural values, intellectual pursuits, aesthetic refinement, etc., or is contentedly commonplace in ideas and tastes.
(initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of ancient Philistia.
adjective
(sometimes initial capital letter) lacking in or hostile to culture.
smugly commonplace or conventional.
(initial capital letter) of or belonging to the ancient Philistines.
Nearby words
philippus, philips, philips, ambrose, philistia, philistian, philistine, philistines, philistinism, phillip, phillips, phillips catheter
Origin of philistine
1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin Philistīnī (plural) < Late Greek Philistînoi < Hebrew pəlishtīm
Related formsphil·is·tin·ism [fil-uh-stee-niz-uhm, -stahy-, fi-lis-tuh-niz-uhm, -tee-] /ˈfɪl ə stiˌnɪz əm, -staɪ-, fɪˈlɪs təˌnɪz əm, -ti-/, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for philistine
British Dictionary definitions for philistine
Philistine
/ (ˈfɪlɪˌstaɪn) /
noun
a person who is unreceptive to or hostile towards culture, the arts, etc; a smug boorish person
a member of the non-Semitic people who inhabited ancient Philistia
adjective
(sometimes not capital) boorishly uncultured
of or relating to the ancient Philistines
Derived FormsPhilistinism (ˈfɪlɪstɪˌnɪzəm), noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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