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Webster's New World College Dictionary » hypocrite
hypocrite
hypocrite definition
hypo·crite (hip′ə krit′)
noun
a person who pretends to be what he or she is not; one who pretends to be better than is really so, or to be pious, virtuous, etc. without really being so
Etymology: ME ipocrite < OFr < L hypocrita, stage actor (in LL(Ec), hypocrite) < Gr hypokritēs, an actor (in LXX & N.T., a pretender, hypocrite) < hypokrinesthai: see hypocrisy
Related Forms:
- hypocritical hyp′o·crit′i·cal (-krit′i kəl) adjective
- hypocritically hyp′o·crit′i·cally adverb
Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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