pious
[ pahy-uhs ]
/ ˈpaɪ əs /
adjective
having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations.
characterized by a hypocritical concern with virtue or religious devotion; sanctimonious.
practiced or used in the name of real or pretended religious motives, or for some ostensibly good object; falsely earnest or sincere: a pious deception.
of or relating to religious devotion; sacred rather than secular: pious literature.
having or showing appropriate respect or regard for parents or others.
Origin of pious
1595–1605; < Latin
pius, akin to
piāre to propitiate
SYNONYMS FOR pious
OTHER WORDS FROM pious
Words nearby pious
Example sentences from the Web for pious
British Dictionary definitions for pious
pious
/ (ˈpaɪəs) /
adjective
having or expressing reverence for a god or gods; religious; devout
marked by reverence
marked by false reverence; sanctimonious
sacred; not secular
archaic
having or expressing devotion for one's parents or others
Derived forms of pious
piously, adverb piousness, nounWord Origin for pious
C17: from Latin
pius, related to
piāre to expiate