Definition

1. Noun:
   • A member of an ancient Jewish sect: A Pharisee was a member of a prominent Jewish sect during the Second Temple period, known for their strict adherence to the written Torah and their emphasis on oral tradition and ritual purity.
   • A self-righteous or sanctimonious person: By extension, a pharisee (often lowercase) is a person who is hypocritically and ostentatiously pious, emphasizing the letter of the law over its spirit.

Usage

• The word is capitalized (Pharisee) when referring to the historical religious group.
• The word is often lowercase (pharisee) when used in its modern, figurative sense to describe a person's character or behavior.
• The modern usage is typically pejorative, implying hypocrisy.

Examples

• Noun (Historical):
  • Jesus often debated with the Pharisees about the interpretation of the law.
  • The Pharisees were one of the major Jewish sects alongside the Sadducees and Essenes.
• Noun (Figurative):
  • He criticized the politician as a moral pharisee who preached family values while hiding his own scandals.
  • Don't be such a pharisee, judging others while ignoring your own faults.

Advanced Usage

• "Pharisaical" (adjective): Pertaining to the Pharisees or, more commonly, characterizing hypocritical self-righteousness.
  • His Pharisaical attitude made him unpopular, as he was quick to condemn others.
• "Pharisaism" (noun): The doctrines or practices of the Pharisees; hypocritical observance of the letter of religious law.
  • The sermon warned against the dangers of modern Pharisaism.

Variants and Related Words

• Pharisaical (adj): Of or resembling a Pharisee; hypocritically self-righteous.
• Pharisaism (n): The behavior or doctrine characteristic of Pharisees; strict observance of external forms without genuine piety.
• Phariseeism (n): A less common variant of "Pharisaism."

Synonyms

• Hypocrite: A person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that they do not actually possess.
• Sanctimonious person: A person who makes a show of being morally superior to others.
• Tartuffe: (From literature) A religious hypocrite.

Antonyms

• Sincere person: A person free from pretense or deceit.
• Humble person: A person with a modest view of their own importance.

Idioms and Phrases

• "To play the pharisee": To act in a hypocritically self-righteous manner. (This is a constructed phrase based on the word's meaning, not a common idiom).
  • He tends to play the pharisee whenever the topic of ethics comes up.

Noun

1. a member of an ancient Jewish sect noted for strict obedience to Jewish traditions
2. a self-righteous or sanctimonious person