See Also: hypocrisy(medicine)
hypocrisy(dictionary)
hypocrisy(dictionary)

hypocrisy (iou)



hypocrisy noun. ME.
[Old French ypocrisie (mod. hypo-), irreg. from ecclesiastical Latin hypocrisis from Greek hupokrisis acting of a theatrical part, from hupokrinesthai answer, play a part, pretend, formed as HYPO- + krinein decide, determine, judge. The etymological spelling with h- became current (as in French) in 16.]
The practice of falsely presenting an appearance of virtue or falsely professing a belief to which one's own character or conduct does not conform; dissimulation, pretence; an instance of this.
P. Ustinov The hypocrisy which permits selfish policies to be propounded in expressions of high-mindedness. R. H. Tawney To talk of holiness and to practise injustice is mere hypocrisy.