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Pharisee

(far′ə sē′)

noun

a member of an ancient Jewish group that carefully observed the written law but also accepted the oral, or traditional, law, advocated democratization of religious practices, etc.
a pharisaic person

Origin: ME pharise < OE fariseus & OFr pharisé, both < LL(Ec) Pharisaeus < Gr(Ec) pharasaios < Aram perishaiya, pl. of perish < Heb parush, orig. adj., separated < root prš, cleave, separate

Related Forms:

Phariseeism noun

See Pharisee in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Pharisee A member of an ancient Jewish sect that emphasized strict interpretation and observance of the Mosaic law in both its oral and written form.
A hypocritically self-righteous person.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English pharise

Origin: , from Old English fariseus

Origin: and from Old French pharise

Origin: , both from Late Latin pharīsaeus

Origin: , from Greek pharīsaios

Origin: , from Aramaic pərišayyā

Origin: , pl. of pəriš, separate

Origin: , from pəraš, to separate; see prš in Semitic roots

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