ananias
|a-na-ni-as|
/ˌænəˈnaɪ.əs/
habitual liar (from biblical story)
Etymology
'ananias' originates from the Greek name 'Ananias', which appears in the New Testament, where Ananias was a man who lied to the apostles and was struck dead for his deceit.
'Ananias' was adopted into English as a term for a habitual liar, based on the biblical story, and has been used in this sense since the 16th century.
Initially, it was just a proper name, but over time it evolved into a common noun meaning 'liar' due to the biblical story.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a liar, especially one who is habitually untruthful; derived from the biblical character Ananias who lied to the apostles.
He was known as an Ananias in the office, never telling the truth.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/29 10:06