noun
- a person who pretends to be virtuous or religious but is actually hypocritical
Usage: from Molière’s play ‘Tartuffe’
Examples
- The politician was exposed as a tartufe who preached family values while living a corrupt lifestyle.
- She saw through his religious facade and recognized him as a tartufe.
- The community leader turned out to be a tartufe, using his position for personal gain.
- His pious speeches fooled many, but close friends knew he was a tartufe.
- The novel’s villain is a classic tartufe who manipulates others with false piety.