Pecksniffian
/pɛkˈsnɪfɪən
/adjective
Affecting benevolence or high moral principles: he adopted a Pecksniffian tone...
- The high light was Newton Dodge's repeated assertion, in his usual Pecksniffian manner, that his head had not grown any smaller, he had measured it!.
- In general, however, this book is free of his usual penchant for Pecksniffian attacks on ‘liberals,’.
Origin
Mid 19th century: from Mr Pecksniff, the name of a character in Dickens's Martin Chuzzlewit, + -ian.