hierophant

[ hahy-er-uh-fant, hahy-ruh-, hahy-er-uh- ]
/ ˈhaɪ ər əˌfænt, ˈhaɪ rə-, haɪˈɛr ə- /

noun

(in ancient Greece) an official expounder of rites of worship and sacrifice.
any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles; mystagogue.

Origin of hierophant

1670–80; < Late Latin hierophanta < Greek hierophántēs, equivalent to hiero- hiero- + -phántēs, derivative of phaínein to show, make known

OTHER WORDS FROM hierophant

hi·er·o·phan·tic, adjective hi·er·o·phan·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby hierophant

hieromonk, hieron, hieronymic, hieronymite, hieronymus, hierophant, hierurgy, hifalutin, higashiosaka, higashiyama, higgins

Example sentences from the Web for hierophant

British Dictionary definitions for hierophant

hierophant
/ (ˈhaɪərəˌfænt) /

noun

(in ancient Greece) an official high priest of religious mysteries, esp those of Eleusis
a person who interprets and explains esoteric mysteries

Derived forms of hierophant

hierophantic, adjective hierophantically, adverb

Word Origin for hierophant

C17: from Late Latin hierophanta, from Greek hierophantēs, from hiero- + phainein to reveal