ephor

[ ef-awr, ef-er ]
/ ˈɛf ɔr, ˈɛf ər /

noun, plural eph·ors, eph·or·i [ef-uh-rahy] /ˈɛf əˌraɪ/.

one of a body of magistrates in various ancient Dorian states, especially at Sparta, where a body of five was elected annually by the people.

Origin of ephor

1580–90; < Latin ephorus < Greek éphoros overseer, guardian, ruler (Compare ephorân to look over, equivalent to ep- ep- + horân to see, look)

OTHER WORDS FROM ephor

eph·or·al, adjective eph·or·ate [ef-uh-reyt, -er-it] /ˈɛf əˌreɪt, -ər ɪt/, eph·or·al·ty [ef-er-uh l-tee] /ˈɛf ər əl ti/, noun

Words nearby ephor

ephesian, ephesians, ephesus, ephippium, ephod, ephor, ephraim, ephraimite, ephrata, ephs., epi-

Example sentences from the Web for ephor

British Dictionary definitions for ephor

ephor
/ (ˈɛfɔː) /

noun plural -ors or -ori (-əˌraɪ)

(in ancient Greece) one of a board of senior magistrates in any of several Dorian states, esp the five Spartan ephors, who were elected by vote of all full citizens and who wielded effective power

Derived forms of ephor

ephoral, adjective ephorate, noun

Word Origin for ephor

C16: from Greek ephoros, from ephoran to supervise, from epi- + horan to look