n. & adj.
--n.
1. a member of a people opposing the Israelites in ancient Palestine.
2 (usu. philistine) a person who is hostile or indifferent to culture, or one whose interests or tastes are commonplace or material.
--adj. hostile or indifferent to culture, commonplace, prosaic.
Derivatives:
philistinism n.
Etymology: ME f. F Philistin or LL Philistinus f. Gk Philistinos Palaistinos f. Heb. pelist{icirc}