philistine

[ fil-uh-steen, -stahyn, fi-lis-tin, -teen ]

noun

1. (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.

   Synonyms: vulgarian, Babbitt

2. (initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of ancient Philistia.

adjective

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) lacking in or hostile to culture.

   Synonyms: lowbrow

2. smugly commonplace or conventional.
3. (initial capital letter) of or belonging to the ancient Philistines.

Philistine

/ ˈfɪlɪstɪˌnɪzəm; ˈfɪlɪˌstaɪn /

noun

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

adjective

1. sometimes not capital boorishly uncultured
2. of or relating to the ancient Philistines

Derived Forms

• Philistinism, noun

Other Words From

• phil·is·tin·ism [fil, -, uh, -stee-niz-, uh, m, -stahy-, fi-, lis, -t, uh, -niz-, uh, m, -tee-], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of philistine¹

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

Example Sentences

It was built on the site of an ancient Philistine temple before being converted into a church and then a mosque.

From BBC

And yet, in retribution, for each of Samson’s eyes Israel’s warring logic would demand the taking of 20 “Philistine” eyes.

From Salon

Part of an ancient Philistine confederacy of five cities along the coastal plain, it featured in Biblical accounts: the judge Samson was held in captivity there.

From Reuters

The impoverished Palestinian territory was an important trading post for civilisations as far back as the ancient Egyptians and the Philistines depicted in the Bible, through the Roman empire and the crusades.

From Reuters

These Super Glue subversives have been derided as publicity-seeking Philistines and hailed as martyrs for a vital cause.

From Washington Post