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Pious vs Saintly - What's the difference?

pious | saintly | Synonyms |

Saintly is a synonym of pious.



As adjectives the difference between pious and saintly

is that pious is of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, godfearing while saintly is like or characteristic of a saint; befitting a holy person; saintlike.

pious

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Of or pertaining to piety, exhibiting piety, devout, godfearing.
  • * 2014, (Paul Salopek), Blessed. Cursed. Claimed. , National Geographic (December 2014)[http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2014/12/pilgrim-roads/salopek-text]
    • Its male residents dress like crows: heavy black suits, black Borsalino hats, the old grandfathers hugely whiskered and the boys in peot, the curled sidelocks of the pious .

    Usage notes

    * Sometimes used pejoratively, in the sense of "mistaken" or "false" piety, as in "pious errors", "pious frauds".

    Synonyms

    * reverent, reverential, dutiful, religious, devout, godly

    Antonyms

    * (of or pertaining to piety) impious, independent, profane

    Derived terms

    * piously * piousness

    Related terms

    * piety

    saintly

    English

    Adjective

    (er)
  • Like or characteristic of a saint; befitting a holy person; saintlike.
    • Sophie led a saintly life.

    Synonyms

    * holy * pious * saintlike

    Anagrams

    *