adj
pious
PEYE-uhs
adj
1
Deeply religious or devout.
"Her pious grandmother attended church every morning."
2
Making an exaggerated show of virtue or morality, often in a way that feels self-righteous.
"He gave a pious little speech about honesty while cheating on the test himself."
How to Use Pious
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishSincerely religious — or, used critically, someone acting morally superior.
Common mistake
Be careful with tone: calling someone "pious" can be a neutral compliment about faith or a subtle insult about hypocrisy, depending on context.
Common pairings
pious hope
pious platitude
devoutly pious
Word Forms
more pious comparative, most pious superlative
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Her _____ grandmother attended church every morning.
Etymology
From Latin pius, "dutiful, devout, kind," related to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "pure."