Definition of Philistine
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a native or inhabitant of ancient Philistia
2
often not capitalized
a
: a person who is guided by materialism and is usually disdainful of intellectual or artistic values
b
: one uninformed in a special area of knowledge
Philistine
adjectiveDefinition of Philistine (Entry 2 of 2)
1
or philistine
: guided by materialism and disdainful of intellectual or artistic values
a philistine attitude toward opera Greenfield's anti-hero, Larry Lazar, is not a conventionally philistine tycoon, trampling on the souls of artists.— William A. Henry … future epochs will remember us as a coarse and philistine people who squandered our bottomlessly rich cultural inheritance for short-term and meaningless financial advantage.— Gerald Howard It is a fact of philistine life that amusement is where the money is.— William H. Gass
2
: of or relating to the people of ancient Philistia
Philistine cities Philistine artifacts
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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Time Traveler for Philistine
The first known use of Philistine was in the 14th century
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