hypocrisy English · revision 914

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /hɪˈpɒkɹəsi/ ''(UK)''; /hɪˈpɑkɹəsi/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|ipocrisie]], [[bor|fro|ypocrisie]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la-lat|hypocrisis|t=play-acting, pretence]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|ὑπόκρισις|tr=hupókrisis|t=acting on the stage; pretence]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''hupokrínesthai'' “to answer; to play a part”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) from ''hupo-'' “under” and ''krínein'' “to sift, decide”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) The ''h-'' was restored in English in the 16th century.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The assuming of a false appearance of virtue or goodness, especially in religion (before 1225 in the OED; c. 1200 in Barnhart and Etymonline).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Greek sense developed from “to answer” to “to answer a fellow actor on stage” and so “to play a part”.^(Etymonline) From the stage the word passed to the pretence of feelings or virtues one does not have.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) In English it was at first used of the sin of pretending to religious virtue,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1995) and later more generally of any pretence of a desirable or approved attitude.^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1200 – ''ypocresie'', false appearance of virtue.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1200 – ''ypocrite''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 16th century – the spelling with ''h-''.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1561 – ''hypocritical''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The practice of professing beliefs, feelings or virtues that one does not hold or have; falseness or [[pretense|alt=pretence]], especially of virtue or religion.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An act or instance of such falseness.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hypocrite]]

+ * [[hypocritical]]

+ * [[critic]]

+ * [[crisis]]

+ * [[deceit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}