— philistinism /fil"euh stee niz'euhm, -stuy-, fi lis"teuh niz'euhm, -tee-/ , n.
/fil"euh steen', -stuyn', fi lis"tin, -teen/ , n.
1. ( sometimes cap. ) a person who is lacking in or hostile or smugly indifferent to cultural values, intellectual pursuits, aesthetic refinement, etc., or is contentedly commonplace in ideas and tastes.
2. ( cap. ) a native or inhabitant of ancient Philistia.
adj.
3. ( sometimes cap. ) lacking in or hostile to culture.
4. smugly commonplace or conventional.
5. ( cap. ) of or belonging to the ancient Philistines.
[ 1350-1400; ME Philistini (pl.) Philistînoi palishtim ]
Syn. 1. Babbitt, vulgarian. 3. lowbrow.