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# philistine

«philistine» in Mova's school dictionary: **The Philistines were an ancient people who lived along…** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

noun (a philistine, philistines; the Philistines — Bible); adjective (philistine)

### meaning for a pupil

1) (Bible) The Philistines were an ancient people who lived along the coast of Canaan and were often at war with the Israelites; Goliath was a Philistine. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#m1)

2) A philistine is a person who does not care about or understand art, music, books or culture. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#m2)

3) As an adjective, philistine means not caring about art and culture. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#m3)

### sense in the lessons

In Bible stories the Philistines are enemies of Israel in the stories of Samson and of David and Goliath. In everyday and formal speech, calling someone a philistine is an insult meaning they ignore beauty and learning. Phrases: "the Philistines", "a Philistine giant", "a complete philistine".

### examples

- (Bible) David killed Goliath, the Philistine giant, with a sling and a stone. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#x1)
- (Bible) Samson fought against the Philistines. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#x2)
- The Philistines lived on the coast near Gaza. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#x3)
- My uncle calls anyone who doesn't like opera a philistine. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#x4)
- Only a philistine would paint over that beautiful old mural. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#x5)
- "Museums are boring," said Ben. "You philistine!" laughed his sister. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/#x6)

### note

For the ancient people it takes a capital letter: the Philistines. For the insult it is often lower case: a philistine. The insult is unfair to the real ancient people, whose art and pottery were skilled. The name Palestine is thought to come from the same word.

### In the corpora

- [Goliath was a giant Philistine warrior who challenged Israel's army to send one man to fight him, and everyone was afraid.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/religion-ethics/8-ruth-and-david-and-goliath/11/)
- [And Abraham sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.575/)
- [And he had possessions of flocks, and possessions of herds, and a great household; and the Philistines envied him.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/jps/GEN.747/)
- [This is the land that yet remaineth: all the regions of the Philistines, and all the Geshurites;](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JOS.316/)
- [And Samson went down to Timnah, and saw a woman in Timnah of the daughters of the Philistines.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/neviim/jps/JDG.424/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «philistine» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/philistine/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.