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n. A member of a priestly, aristocratic Jewish sect founded in the second century BC that accepted only the written Mosaic law and that ceased to exist after the destruction of the Temple in AD 70. [Middle English Saducee, from Old English Sadducēas, Sadducees, from Late Latin Sadducaeī, from Greek Saddoukaioi, from Mishnaic Hebrew ṣədûqî, after ṣādôq, Zadok, high priest in the time of David and Solomon, from ṣādôq, just, righteous, from ṣādaq, to be just; see ṣdq in the Appendix of Semitic roots.] Sad′du·cean (-sēən) adj. Sad′du·ceeism n. |
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