Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
Tartuffe

Tartuffe

1 9.9
A person who pretends to be very religious to get money or power
  • noun
  • /tɑrˈtuf/
  • Offensive
translation icon : tartufo
  • He was seen as a Tartuffe who manipulated others' faith for his own benefit.

Examples

  • Orgon is a narcissist who has nearly drowned in Tartuffe's deception.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Tartuffe makes himself indispensable to Orgon by making Orgon's anxieties the context or environment wherein others must exist.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Orgon wants to give his daughter in marriage to Tartuffe.

    Academic text (1990)

  • His gesture of "generosity" to Tartuffe was actually the symptom of a desire for admiring attention.

    Academic text (1990)

  • The politician acted like a Tartuffe, pretending to care about the community while pursuing his own interests.

  • In the meeting, she exposed him as a Tartuffe, pretending to be virtuous while undermining the project.

Synonyms

Tartufe
vsTartuffe
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who pretends to be very religious to hide bad behavior

is the same meaning but is an alternate spelling
tartuffian
vsTartuffe
  • Offensive
9.9

A person who pretends to be moral but is not

stresses the Moliere origin and personal gain rather than general hypocrisy

Antonyms

integrity
447 4.3

Being honest and doing what is right

honesty
365 1.0

Being truthful and fair in what you say and do

How Honest

Tartuffe
  • Offensive
1 9.9
deceiver
13 5.5

Surface Forms

Tartuffe singular
Tartuffes plural

Etymology

Tartuffe comes from the name of a fake holy man in a play by the French writer Molière, who pretended to be 'pious' to trick a family. So a Tartuffe is someone who pretends to be good or religious to gain trust or advantage.