Library / English Dictionary

PHARISEE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A member of an ancient Jewish sect noted for strict obedience to Jewish traditions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("Pharisee" is a kind of...):

Hebrew; Israelite; Jew (a person belonging to the worldwide group claiming descent from Jacob (or converted to it) and connected by cultural or religious ties)

Instance hyponyms:

Flavius Josephus; Joseph ben Matthias; Josephus (Jewish general who led the revolt of the Jews against the Romans and then wrote a history of those events (37-100))

Sense 2

Meaning:

A self-righteous or sanctimonious person

Classified under:

Nouns denoting people

Hypernyms ("pharisee" is a kind of...):

disagreeable person; unpleasant person (a person who is not pleasant or agreeable)

Derivation:

pharisaic; pharisaical (excessively or hypocritically pious)

Credits