pharisaical

Variant of Pharisaic

Pharisaic definition

Phari·saic (far′ə sā′ik)

adjective

  1. of the Pharisees

  2. Etymology: from the notion promulgated in the N.T. that Pharisees were generally so characterized

    emphasizing or observing the letter but not the spirit of religious law; self-righteous; sanctimonious
  3. pretending to be highly moral or virtuous without actually being so; hypocritical
    also pharisaical phar′i·sa′i·cal

Etymology: LL(Ec) Pharisaicus < Gr(Ec) pharisaïkos < pharisaios: see Pharisee

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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