Dictionary Home »
Webster's New World College Dictionary » Pharisee
Pharisee
Pharisee definition
Phari·see (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
Etymology: 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 Phar′i·see′·ism′ noun
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Comments
Improve this definition.
Share on Facebook