hypocrisy

[ hi-pok-ruh-see ]
See synonyms for hypocrisy on Thesaurus.com
noun,plural hy·poc·ri·sies.
  1. a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles, etc., that one does not really possess.

  2. a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude.

  1. an act or instance of hypocrisy.

Origin of hypocrisy

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English ipocrisie, from Old French, from Late Latin hypocrisis, from Greek hypókrisis “play acting,” from hypokrī(nesthai)́ “to play a part, explain” (from hypo- hypo- + krī́nein “to distinguish, separate”) + -sis -sis

synonym study For hypocrisy

1. See duplicity.

Other words from hypocrisy

  • hy·per·hy·poc·ri·sy, noun

Words Nearby hypocrisy

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hypocrisy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for hypocrisy

hypocrisy

/ (hɪˈpɒkrəsɪ) /


nounplural -sies
  1. the practice of professing standards, beliefs, etc, contrary to one's real character or actual behaviour, esp the pretence of virtue and piety

  2. an act or instance of this

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