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ephebe

[ih-feeb, ef-eeb]
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noun
  1. a young man, especially an ephebus.
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Origin of ephebe

1690–1700; < Latin ephēbus < Greek éphēbos, equivalent to ep- ep- + -hēbos, derivative of hḗbē manhood
Related formse·phe·bic, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for ephebe

Historical Examples

  • The Greek youth became enamoured of the ephebe in the gymnasium, where they appeared nude and beautiful.

    Acrobats and Mountebanks

    Hugues Le Roux

British Dictionary definitions for ephebe

ephebe

noun
  1. (in ancient Greece) a youth about to enter full citizenship, esp one undergoing military training
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Derived Formsephebic, adjective

Word Origin

C19: from Latin ephēbus, from Greek ephēbos, from hēbē young manhood
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012