ephor

[ ef-awr, ef-er ]

/ ˈɛf ɔr, ˈɛf ər /

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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.

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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, adjectiveeph·or·ate

[ef-uh-reyt, -er-it], /ˈɛf əˌreɪt, -ər ɪt/, eph·or·al·ty

[ef-er-uhl-tee], /ˈɛf ər əl ti/, noun

Words nearby ephor

Ephesian, Ephesians, Ephesus, ephippium, ephod, ephor, Ephraim, Ephraimite, Ephrata, epi-, epibenthos

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use ephor in a sentence

He also gave out that he intended to remain in office as Ephor for the next year as well.
Plutarch's Lives, Volume IV|Aubrey Stewart
Fixed antiquities must be reported by the discoverer to the Ephor General or one of the ephors of antiquities or other official.
How to Observe in Archaeology|Various
He was here met by Diphridas the Ephor, who brought him orders to invade Bœotia immediately.
Plutarch's Lives Volume III.|Plutarch
Upon this the same Ephor asked him whether he repented of what he had done.
Plutarch's Lives, Volume IV|Aubrey Stewart

Ephor, ef′or, n. a class of magistrates whose office apparently originated at Sparta, being peculiar to the Doric states.
Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M)|Various

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, adjectiveephorate, noun

Word Origin for ephor

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

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