hypocrite
/ˈhɪp.ə.krɪt/
noun
Origin
Ancient Greek
hupokritēs — actor, stage player
Overview
Meaning Now
- A person who acts in contradiction to their stated beliefs or feelings.
- Someone who feigns to be better than they actually are or pretends to have beliefs or virtues they do not possess.
Literal older meaning
An actor, a stage performer.
Language path
Ancient Greek → Latin → Old French → Middle English → English
Earliest form
ipocrite
Earliest period
13th century
Journey
The term originally held no negative connotation, simply referring to an actor in a Greek play who 'interpreted' or 'replied' to the chorus. In the Septuagint and New Testament, the word was used to translate the Hebrew 'hanef' (godless or profane), which shifted the meaning permanently toward moral deception.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
hupokritēs
“an actor on the stage”
Derived from hupokrinesthai (to play a part).
- Late Latin
hypocrita
“a pretender”
Influenced by Christian usage to denote a spiritual deceiver.
- Old French
ipocrite
“a false pretender”
- Middle English
ypocrite
“a hypocrite”
Attested in 13th-century texts.
Connections
Word parts
hupo-
prefix
under
krinein
root
to decide, to interpret
Related across languages
French
hypocrite
Spanish
hipócrita
hypocrite
Related words
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.