scheinheilig
sanctimonious
So, als ob man gut und ehrlich ist, aber in Wirklichkeit ist man es nicht.
The German word "scheinheilig" is an adjective that translates to "hypocritical" or "sanctimonious" in English. It is composed of two parts: "schein," meaning "appearance" or "pretense," and "heilig," meaning "holy." Thus, it refers to a person or behavior that outwardly appears virtuous or pious but hides a different, often morally questionable, reality.
Similar words in German include "heuchlerisch" (hypocritical) and "doppelmoralisch" (double standards). The key difference is that "scheinheilig" specifically emphasizes the pretense of being holy or virtuous, whereas "heuchlerisch" can describe any form of hypocrisy, and "doppelmoralisch" critiques inconsistent moral standards.
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Examples
Er hat ein scheinheiliges Lächeln aufgesetzt.adjective
He put on a sanctimonious smile.
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