Pharisee

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English

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Etymology

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From Latin Pharisaeus, from Ancient Greek Φαρισαῖος (Pharisaîos), a transliteration of Aramaic פְּרִישַׁיָּא (pərîšayyâ’), emphatic plural of פְּרִישׁ (pərîš, separatist, literally separated), related to Hebrew פרוש (parush), qal passive participle of the verb פָּרַשׁ (pāraš), meaning one who is separated for a life of purity.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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Pharisee (plural Pharisees)

  1. (historical) A member of an ancient Jewish political party, a social movement, and a school of thought among Jews that flourished during the Second Temple Era (536 B.C.E.–70 C.E.). The movement was ultimately the basis for most contemporary forms of Judaism.
  2. (figuratively, by extension; derogatory) A person who values the letter of the law over its spirit or intention.
    • 1847 December, Ellis Bell [pseudonym; Emily Brontë], “chapter III”, in Wuthering Heights: [], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Thomas Cautley Newby, [], →OCLC:
      He was, and is yet most likely, the wearisomest self-righteous Pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses to his neighbours.
    • c. 1870, Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening:
      The spider fattens himself on flies, and the Pharisee has his reward. Foolish persons are easily entrapped by the loud professions of pretenders, and even the more judicious cannot always escape.

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