# holier-than-thou

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈhəʊ.li.ə ðən ˈðaʊ/

## Definitions
1. Hypocritically or self-righteously pious; sanctimonious; smugly morally superior.

## Etymology
From Isaiah 65:5 in the Bible (King James Version; spelling modernized): “Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou”; from Biblical Hebrew קְדַשְׁתִּיךָ (qəḏaštîḵā).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/holier-than-thou