philistine

[ fil-uh-steen, -stahyn, fi-lis-tin, -teen ]
/ ˈfɪl əˌstin, -ˌstaɪn, fɪˈlɪs tɪn, -tin /

noun

(sometimes initial capital letter) a person who is lacking in or hostile or smugly indifferent to cultural values, intellectual pursuits, aesthetic refinement, etc., or is contentedly commonplace in ideas and tastes.
(initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of ancient Philistia.

adjective

(sometimes initial capital letter) lacking in or hostile to culture.
smugly commonplace or conventional.
(initial capital letter) of or belonging to the ancient Philistines.

Origin of philistine

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin Philistīnī (plural) < Late Greek Philistînoi < Hebrew pəlishtīm

SYNONYMS FOR philistine

OTHER WORDS FROM philistine

phil·is·tin·ism [fil-uh-stee-niz-uhm, -stahy-, fi-lis-tuh-niz-uhm, -tee-] /ˈfɪl ə stiˌnɪz əm, -staɪ-, fɪˈlɪs təˌnɪz əm, -ti-/, noun

Example sentences from the Web for philistines

British Dictionary definitions for philistines

Philistine
/ (ˈfɪlɪˌstaɪn) /

noun

a person who is unreceptive to or hostile towards culture, the arts, etc; a smug boorish person
a member of the non-Semitic people who inhabited ancient Philistia

adjective

(sometimes not capital) boorishly uncultured
of or relating to the ancient Philistines

Derived forms of Philistine

Philistinism (ˈfɪlɪstɪˌnɪzəm), noun

Cultural definitions for philistines

Philistines
[ (fil-uh-steenz, fi-lis-tinz, fi-lis-teenz) ]

In the Old Testament, enemies of the Israelites in their settlement in the Promised Land. (See David and Samson.)

notes for Philistines

A “philistine” has come to mean a person who is ignorant and uncultured.