Sadducee

American  

[saj-uh-see, sad-yuh-] / ˈsædʒ əˌsi, ˈsæd yə- /

noun

Judaism.

1. a member of a Palestinian sect, consisting mainly of priests and aristocrats, that flourished from the 1st century b.c. to the 1st century a.d. and differed from the Pharisees chiefly in its literal interpretation of the Bible, rejection of oral laws and traditions, and denial of an afterlife and the coming of the Messiah.

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Sadducee British  

/ ˈsædjʊˌsiː /

noun

1. Judaism a member of an ancient Jewish sect that was opposed to the Pharisees, denying the resurrection of the dead, the existence of angels, and the validity of oral tradition

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Other Word Forms

• Sadducean adjective
• Sadduceeism noun

Etymology

Origin of Sadducee

before 1000; Middle English sadducees (plural), Old English saddūcēas < Late Latin saddūcaeī < Greek saddoukaîoi < Hebrew ṣədhūqī adherent of Zadok

Example Sentences

He is a guest under my roof and a Sadducee of power.

From The Coming of the King by Babcock, Bernie

When he reached the table of Zador Ben Amon, this mighty Sadducee was not in sight.

From The Coming of the King by Babcock, Bernie

"Nay, good sir," the Sadducee answered, "we come upon a mission for the congregation."

From Saul of Tarsus A Tale of the Early Christians by Miller, Elizabeth

Whereon a certain great divine, and a very clever divine was he, called him a regular Sadducee; and probably he was quite right.

From The Water-Babies A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby by Goble, Warwick

I will hope, though something of a Sadducee, that there is an angel in their hearts.

From A Novelist on Novels by George, Walter Lionel