scheinheilig
German
Etymology
A word of the Reformation, first attested ca. 1580, from Schein (“appearance, that which only seems to be”) + heilig (“holy”), likely after Dutch schijnheilig (1557).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈʃaɪ̯nˌhaɪ̯.lɪç/, (southern also) /-lɪk/
Audio (Germany (Berlin)): (file) Audio (Germany (Berlin)): (file) - Hyphenation: schein‧hei‧lig
Adjective
scheinheilig (strong nominative masculine singular scheinheiliger, comparative scheinheiliger, superlative am scheinheiligsten)
- hypocritical, sanctimonious (feigning innocence or righteousness)
- Synonym: heuchlerisch
Declension
Positive forms of scheinheilig
Comparative forms of scheinheilig
Superlative forms of scheinheilig
Derived terms
- Scheinheiliger
- Scheinheiligkeit
Descendants
- → Danish: skinhellig (calque)
- → Norwegian: skinnhellig (calque)
- → Swedish: skenhelig (calque)
Further reading
- “scheinheilig” in Duden online
- “scheinheilig” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache