[ 'pʌɪətɪz(ə)m ]
■ noun pious sentiment, especially of an exaggerated or affected nature.
↘(usu. Pietism ) a 17th-century movement for the revival of piety in the Lutheran Church.
Derivatives
pietist noun
pietistic adjective
pietistical adjective
pietistically adverb
Origin
C17: from Ger. Pietismus , from mod L., based on L. pietas (see piety ).