pharisee
NounUS[fah-rih-see]/ˈfɑrɪˌsi/3 syllables
Open English WordNet
Noun (2)pharisees
- a member of an ancient Jewish sect noted for strict obedience to Jewish traditionsType of Jew, HebrewExamples Josephus, Flavius Josephus
- a self-righteous or sanctimonious personType of unpleasant person, disagreeable person
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Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Phar′i·see (făr′ĭ-sē), noun
Origin: L. Pharisaeus, Gr. Φαρισαῖος, from Heb. pārash to separate.
One of a sect or party among the Jews, noted for a strict and formal observance of rites and ceremonies and of the traditions of the elders, and whose pretensions to superior sanctity led them to separate themselves from the other Jews.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54