hierophant

American  

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

noun

1. (in ancient Greece) an official expounder of rites of worship and sacrifice.

2. any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles; mystagogue.

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hierophant British  

/ ˈhaɪərəˌfænt /

noun

1. (in ancient Greece) an official high priest of religious mysteries, esp those of Eleusis

2. a person who interprets and explains esoteric mysteries

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Other Word Forms

• hierophantic adjective
• hierophantically adverb

Etymology

Origin of hierophant

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

Example Sentences

But a successful heist leads to catastrophic complications when Sancia receives warning that an ancient, impossibly powerful scriver is en route to Tevanne — a hierophant, one of the original creators of their magic technology.

From New York Times • May 26, 2020

He was essentially a legislative man, not so much an ideologue as a hierophant of parliamentary procedure.

From Time Magazine Archive

There were, of course, great differences between Rubens and his hierophant Watteau.

From Time Magazine Archive

And what but “the dead letter,” as this hierophant of mystic senses asperses the free inventions of genius, can now interest the readers of Spenser?

From Amenities of Literature Consisting of Sketches and Characters of English Literature by Disraeli, Isaac

The special duty of the female hierophant was to superintend the initiation of female aspirants, but she was present throughout the ceremony and played some part in the initiation of the male candidates.

From The Eleusinian Mysteries and Rites by Wright, Dudley