hypocrite
UK[ˈhɪpəkrɪt]US[ˈhɪpəkrɪt]
n
a person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that they do not actually possess, especially a person whose actions belie their stated beliefs.
Morpheme Breakdown
hypo
crite
hypo
under
crite
judge
Etymology
the word 'hypocrite' entered english via old french, tracing its lineage back to the late latin 'hypocrita' and the greek 'hypokritēs'. in ancient greek, a 'hypokritēs' was an actor, one who interpreted or answered from beneath a mask, literally a 'judge from underneath' (from 'hypo-' meaning 'under' and 'kritēs' meaning 'judge'). this theatrical sense evolved metaphorically to denote someone playing a part in real life, pretending to be what they are not. the semantic shift from a stage performer to a person feigning virtue captures the core logic: just as an actor assumes a role, a hypocrite assumes a character or set of beliefs that are not genuinely their own.
Analysis
Structure: hypo (under) + crite (judge)
hypo- (from greek, meaning 'under', 'less than', or 'pretended'); -crite (from greek 'kritēs', meaning 'judge' or 'interpreter').
Examples
he called politicians hypocrites for demanding cuts in public spending while increasing their own expenses.
don't be such a hypocrite—you criticize others for being late, but you're never on time yourself.
she exposed him as a hypocrite when evidence showed his charitable speeches contradicted his private actions.