pharisee

noun
UK: /ˈfærɪsiː/
US: /ˈfærɪsiː/
  1. A member of an ancient Jewish sect, distinguished by strict observance of the traditional and written law, and commonly held to have been self-righteous.

    1. The pharisee prayed loudly in the temple.
    2. He was regarded as a pharisee because of his rigid adherence to the rules.
  2. A self-righteous or hypocritical person.

    1. Don't be such a pharisee; nobody is perfect.
    2. The critic was labeled a pharisee for his harsh judgments of others' work.
pharisee verb
  1. To behave in a self-righteous or hypocritical way.

    1. He would pharisee if given the chance.
    2. It's easy to pharisee when judging others' mistakes from a distance.
pharisee adjective
  1. Relating to or characteristic of the Pharisees; marked by self-righteousness or hypocrisy.

    1. That was a very pharisee attitude to have.
    2. His pharisee pronouncements irritated those who knew his own imperfections.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pharisee" in English means: A member of an ancient Jewish sect, distinguished by strict observance of the traditional and written law, and commonly held to have been self-righteous., A self-righteous or hypocritical person..

The phonetic transcription of "pharisee" is /ˈfærɪsiː/ in British English and /ˈfærɪsiː/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pharisee": sanctimonious, hypocrite, self-righteous.

Example usage of "pharisee": "The pharisee prayed loudly in the temple.". More examples on the page.