pi·ous

(pī′əs)

adj.

a. Earnestly compliant in the observance of religion; reverent or devout: a pious nun.

b. Showing or characterized by religious devotion: pious observance.

c. Expressive of or used in religious devotion; devotional: pious readings.

a. Done for the benefit of others or with the intention of encouraging good: practicers of the noble lie and the pious fraud.

b. Sincere but wishful or far-fetched: a pious hope that the new method will work.

3. Self-righteous or sanctimonious: pious denunciations of sexual harassment.

4. Archaic Professing or exhibiting traditional morality; dutiful.

[From Latin pius, dutiful.]

pi′ous·ly adv.

pi′ous·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

pious

(ˈpaɪəs)

adj

1. having or expressing reverence for a god or gods; religious; devout

2. marked by reverence

3. marked by false reverence; sanctimonious

4. sacred; not secular

5. archaic having or expressing devotion for one's parents or others

[C17: from Latin pius, related to piāre to expiate]

ˈpiously adv

ˈpiousness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pi•ous

(ˈpaɪ əs)

adj.

1. having or showing a dutiful spirit of reverence for God or an earnest wish to fulfill religious obligations.

2. characterized by a hypocritical concern with virtue or religious devotion; sanctimonious.

3. practiced or used in the name of real or pretended religious motives or for an ostensibly good object: a pious deception.

4. sacred rather than secular.

5. showing due respect or regard, as for parents.

[1595–1605; < Latin pius, akin to piāre to propitiate]

pi′ous•ly, adv.

pi′ous•ness, n.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Adj.

pious - having or showing or expressing reverence for a deity; "pious readings"

religious - having or showing belief in and reverence for a deity; "a religious man"; "religious attitude"

sacred - concerned with religion or religious purposes; "sacred texts"; "sacred rites"; "sacred music"

virtuous - morally excellent

unworldly - not concerned with the temporal world or swayed by mundane considerations; "was unworldly and did not greatly miss worldly rewards"- Sheldon Cheney

impious - lacking piety or reverence for a god

pious

adjective

1. religious, godly, devoted, spiritual, holy, dedicated, righteous, devout, saintly, God-fearing, reverent He was brought up by pious female relatives.
religious irreverent, unholy, ungodly, irreligious, impious

2. self-righteous, hypocritical, sanctimonious, goody-goody, unctuous, holier-than-thou, pietistic, religiose They were derided as pious, self-righteous bores.
self-righteous humble, sincere, meek

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

pious

adjective

Deeply concerned with God and the beliefs and practice of religion:

devotional, devout, godly, holy, pietistic, pietistical, prayerful, religious, saintly.

Translations

تَقي، وَرِع

zbožný

from

tekopyhä

guîrækinn

信心の名を借りた信心深い偽善的な宗教にかこつけた敬虔な

dievobaimingai

dievbijīgs

piedoso

dindar sofu

虔诚的

pious

[ˈpaɪəs] ADJ → piadoso, pío (pej) → beato
pious hopes → vanas esperanzas fpl

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

pious

[ˈpaɪəs] adj

(= devout) → pieux/euse

(pejorative) (= sanctimonious) [person, words] → pieux/euse
pious intentions → pieuses intentions pious hopepious hope n → vœu m pieux

pious

adj

(= devout) → fromm; (pej also) → frömmlerisch

(pej: = hypocritical) person, words → unaufrichtig, falsch; a pious hope → ein frommer Wunsch

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

pious

[ˈpaɪəs] adj → pio/a (pej) → bigotto/a
a pious hope → una vana speranza

pious

(ˈpaiəs) adjective

having or showing strong religious feelings, reverence for or devotion to God etc. a pious woman/attitude.

ˈpiously adverb

piety (ˈpaiəti) noun