Iscariot
(ɪˈskærɪət)
[ad. L. Iscariōta, a. Gr. Ἰσκαριώτης, understood to be ad. Heb. īsh-q'rīyōth man of Kerioth (a place in Palestine).]
The surname of Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ. Hence, an appellation for an accursed traitor. Also attrib.
| 1647 Ward Simp. Cobler 43 He may be a zelot.., and yet an Iscariot. 1795–7 Southey Juvenile & Minor Poems Poet. Wks. II. 116 An Iscariot curse will lie Upon the name. 1878 E. Jenkins Haverholme 63 Those..he deemed Iscariots to a Divine cause. |
Hence
Iscariotic (
ɪskærɪˈɒtɪk)
a., of or relating to Judas Iscariot;
Iscariˈotical a., characteristic of or resembling Judas Iscariot; wickedly treacherous;
Iˈscariotism, a practice characteristic of Judas Iscariot,
esp. in reference to parsimonious employment of church funds (
cf. John xii. 5).
| 1879 Farrar St. Paul (1883) 63 The 109th has been called the *Iscariotic Psalm. |
| a 1625 Boys Wks. (1630) 282 This *Iscarioticall feat. Ibid. 285 To whet..tongue and pen against that Iscariotticall legerdemaine. 1641 Milton Reform. ii. (1851) 64 No such prostitution, no such Iscariotical drifts are to be doubted. |
| 1883 Ch. Times 18 May 357 The Congregation..will also reject the principle of *Iscariotism, or the cheap-and-nasty in religion. 1885 Ibid. 16 Jan. 37 Far be it from me to advocate Iscariotism. |