philistine

[ fil-uh-steen, -stahyn, fi-lis-tin, -teen ]

/ ˈfɪl əˌstin, -ˌstaɪn, fɪˈlɪs tɪn, -tin /

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.

Words related to philistine

blue, gross, roughneck, ribald, offensive, foul, barbarian, raw, base, low, crude, rough, mean, bawdy, common, vulgarian, rube, oaf, goon, lout

Words nearby philistine

philippopolis, philippus, philips, philistia, philistian, philistine, philistines, phillip, phillips, phillips catheter, phillips curve

Origin of philistine

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin Philistīnī (plural) < Late Greek Philistînoi < Hebrew pəlishtīm

SYNONYMS FOR philistine

1 Babbitt, vulgarian.

3 lowbrow.

OTHER WORDS FROM philistine

phil·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 philistines

He was wrong, of course, even scripturally: the Philistines loved Goliath.
Shaq, Year One|Charles P. Pierce|May 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The first invasion of the Philistines took place soon after David was anointed king over all Israel.
The Expositor's Bible: The Second Book of Samuel|W. G. Blaikie
What could uncircumcised Philistines know about these precious realities?
Elijah the Tishbite|C. (Charles) H. (Henry) Mackintosh
Now Saul thought to deliver David into the hands of the Philistines.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various

Then the Philistines knew that their great warrior in whom they trusted was dead.
The Wonder Book of Bible Stories|Compiled by Logan Marshall
David gained a great victory and was enabled to pursue the Philistines as far as Gezer.
The History of Antiquity, Vol. II (of VI)|Max Duncker

British Dictionary definitions for philistines

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 forms of Philistine

Philistinism (ˈfɪlɪstɪˌnɪzəm), 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

Culture definitions for philistines

Philistines

[ (fil-uh-steenz, fi-lis-tinz, fi-lis-teenz) ]

In the Old Testament, enemies of the Israelites in their settlement in the Promised Land. (See David and Samson.)

notes for Philistines

A “philistine” has come to mean a person who is ignorant and uncultured.