philistine

noun

a member of an Aegean people who settled ancient Philistia around the 12th century BC

a person who is uninterested in intellectual pursuits

adjective

smug and ignorant and indifferent or hostile to artistic and cultural values

of or relating to ancient Philistia or its culture or its people

Roots

philistinusphilistine- · Latin · Philistine

Synonyms for philistine

lowbrown vulgariann unculturedadj middlebrown ignoramusn

Synonyms & related words for philistine

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Words related to philistine

Explore words related to philistine — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include philistia, philistinism, nonintellectual, snob, snobocracy, goliath, snobbism, antisnob. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for philistine

Common synonyms for philistine include lowbrow, vulgarian, uncultured, middlebrow, ignoramus — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does philistine come from?

The word philistine breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root philistine-, from Latin philistinus (“Philistine”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.