tartuffery
Very LowFormal, Literary
Definition
Meaning
Hypocritical behavior, especially of a religious or moral nature; sanctimonious pretense.
Any form of ostentatious, insincere piety or moralizing; the actions or characteristics of a hypocrite who feigns virtue.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Derived from the character Tartuffe in Molière's play. It is a noun describing the quality or practice of being a hypocrite, particularly one who affects religious devotion. It is more abstract than 'hypocrisy,' often implying a theatrical or exaggerated performance of virtue.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The word is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Literary, archaic, or highly formal in both regions. May carry a slightly more theatrical or dramatic connotation due to its origin in French comedy.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both British and American English. Primarily encountered in literary criticism, historical texts, or sophisticated commentary.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] engaged in tartuffery.The [noun phrase] was denounced as tartuffery.His [noun] was mere tartuffery.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly associated. The related term 'a Tartuffe' refers to a hypocritical person.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used. Might appear in critiques of corporate social responsibility seen as insincere: 'The CEO's speech was dismissed as corporate tartuffery.'
Academic
Used in literary, historical, or religious studies discussing hypocrisy, particularly in analyses of 17th-century drama or moral philosophy.
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation. Would be considered highly unusual and possibly pretentious.
Technical
Not used in technical fields.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The minister was accused of tartuffing his way through the scandal.
- He tartuffed about his humble origins.
American English
- The politician tartuffed his concern for the working class.
- She was tartuffing during the entire interview.
adverb
British English
- He spoke tartuffishly about the need for austerity.
- She smiled tartuffianly.
American English
- He moralized tartuffishly while hiding his own faults.
- The apology was delivered tartuffianly.
adjective
British English
- His tartuffian smile did not fool anyone.
- They saw through his tartuffish declarations.
American English
- The tartuffian preacher was eventually exposed.
- Her tartuffish behavior was noted by all.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This word is too difficult for A2 level.
- This word is too difficult for B1 level.
- The journalist wrote an article criticizing the tartuffery of some politicians.
- His show of charity was just tartuffery to improve his image.
- The novel satirizes the religious tartuffery of Victorian society.
- We must distinguish between genuine faith and mere tartuffery.
- His entire public persona was an elaborate exercise in tartuffery.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of TARTUFFEry: A TART (sharp/sour) person who tries to look UFF (tough/rough) but is actually fake. From the play 'Tartuffe' about a religious hypocrite.
Conceptual Metaphor
HYPOCRISY IS A THEATRICAL PERFORMANCE / VIRTUE IS A MASK.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'трафарет' (stencil) or 'тарталетка' (tartlet). The Russian word 'лицемерие' is the direct equivalent for 'hypocrisy,' but 'tartuffery' is a more specific, literary term.
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling as 'tartufery' or 'tartufry'.
- Using it as an adjective (e.g., 'He was very tartuffery') instead of the correct noun form.
- Overusing or misapplying it in informal contexts where 'hypocrisy' would be more natural.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'tartuffery'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a very rare, formal, and literary word. Most native speakers would use 'hypocrisy' instead.
It comes from 'Tartuffe,' the name of the main character in Molière's 1664 French comedy 'Tartuffe,' who is a hypocrite pretending to be pious.
No, 'tartuffery' is a noun. The related adjectives are 'tartuffian' or 'tartuffish.'
'Hypocrisy' is the general term. 'Tartuffery' is a more specific, literary synonym that often emphasizes a theatrical, ostentatious, or religiously tinged form of hypocrisy.