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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

pious

/ˈpaɪəs/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 0:49
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What does pious mean?

adjective

  1. Of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, god-fearing.
  2. Relating to religion or religious works.
  3. Insisting on or making a show of one's own virtue, especially in comparison to others; sanctimonious, condescending, judgmental.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/ˈpaɪəs/

CMU Pronouncing Dictionary

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

Master Thomas was one of the many pious slaveholders who hold slaves for the very charitable purpose of taking care of them.
Frederick DouglassNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American SlaveProject Gutenberg ebook #23
In the case of my misguided aunt, the form which pious perseverance was next to take revealed itself to me plainly enough.
Wilkie CollinsThe MoonstoneProject Gutenberg ebook #155
More book examples (3)
A lesser crime than this is the sacrifice of Jephthah or Agamemnon, where a pious daughter is slain by a father's sword.
Richard de BuryThe Love of Books: The Philobiblon of Richard de BuryTranslated by Ernest Chester ThomasProject Gutenberg ebook #626
Times came in the course of the ages when men were pious enough not to have to live in dread of punishment.
Louis GinzbergThe Legends of the Jews — Volume 1Translated by Henrietta SzoldProject Gutenberg ebook #1493
Says our pious editor, for the government to take property without full compensation "would be contrary to the whole spirit of America."
Upton SinclairThe Profits of Religion: An Essay in Economic InterpretationProject Gutenberg ebook #1558