philistine
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A policeman. The German students call all townspeople not of their body "Philister," as ours say "cads." The departing student says, mournfully, in one of the Burschenlieder—
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “philistine” mean?
A policeman. The German students call all townspeople not of their body "Philister," as ours say "cads." The departing student says, mournfully, in one of the Burschenlieder—
Is “philistine” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.