hypocrisy
c.1225, from O.Fr. ypocrisie, from L.L. hypocrisis, from Gk. hypokrisis "acting on the
stage, pretense," from hypokrinesthai "play a part, pretend," also "answer," from hypo-
"under" + middle voice of krinein "to sift, decide." The sense evolution is from "separate
gradually" to "answer" to "answer a fellow actor on stage" to "play a part." Thus
hypocrite (c.1225) is ult. Gk. hypokrites "actor on the stage, pretender."
