Exaggerated or hypocritical piety; an assumption of moral superiority.
Examples:
- This candidate puts off some voters with his odor of sanctity.
Origin: From the medieval idea that a saint's body emits a sweet smell; used figuratively since mid-1700s
Exaggerated or hypocritical piety; an assumption of moral superiority.
Examples:
Origin: From the medieval idea that a saint's body emits a sweet smell; used figuratively since mid-1700s