hypocrite

The story

1. Ancient Greek · derived fromὑποκριτής“actor, hypocrite”
2. Latin · derived fromhypocrita
3. Old French · derived fromypocrite
4. English todayhypocrite

From Old French ypocrite (Modern French hypocrite), from Latin hypocrita, from Ancient Greek ὑποκριτής (hupokritḗs, “actor, hypocrite”), from ὑποκρίνομαι (hupokrínomai, “to answer, act, feign”). Displaced native Old English līċettere.

First known use, by meaning

• from early 13th c. Someone who practices hypocrisy, who pretends to hold beliefs, or whose actions are not consistent with their claimed beliefs.