Standard Lemma guide

moralistic

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: M AO2 R AH0 L IH1 S T IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern with the morals of others; self-righteous

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • She was glad to escape her judgmental and moralistic parents.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

narrowly and conventionally moral

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *meh1-der. Proto-Italic *mōs Latin mōs Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin mōrālis Old French moralbor. Middle English moral English moral Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Hellenic *-tās Ancient Greek -τής (-tḗs) Ancient Greek -ῐστής (-ĭstḗs)bor. Latin -istader. Old French -istebor. Middle English -ist English -ist Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English -istic English moralistic From moral + -istic.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: moralista — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • Czech: moralistický — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • Finnish: moralistinen — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • French: moraliste — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • Galician: moralista — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • German: moralistisch — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • Italian: moralista — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • Polish: moralistyczny — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • Portuguese: moralista — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
  • Spanish: moralista — Characteristic of or relating to a narrow-minded concern of the morals of others
Real reading context

moralistic in complete knowledge articles