flamen

American  

[fley-muhn, -men] / ˈfleɪ mən, -mɛn /

noun

plural

flamens, flamines

1. (in ancient Rome) a priest.

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flamen British  

/ ˈfleɪmɛn /

noun

1. (in ancient Rome) any of 15 priests who each served a particular deity

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Etymology

Origin of flamen

1300–50; < Latin flamen (perhaps earlier *flādmen; akin to Old English blōtan to sacrifice); replacing Middle English flamin < Latin flāmin- (stem of flāmen )

Example Sentences

Marius, who had married his father’s sister Julia, conferred on him the office of flamen Dialis before he was sixteen years of age; and his first wife was Cornelia, daughter of Cinna.

From The Student's Companion to Latin Authors by Middleton, George

A flamen will give you some incense: cast it on the altar; the act is a simple one, and will prove a grateful offering to the Immortals.”

From Jovinian A Story of the Early Days of Papal Rome by Kingston, William Henry Giles

Caesar was at once marked out for high distinction, being created flamen Dialis or priest of Jupiter.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 4 "Bulgaria" to "Calgary" by Various

L. Cornelius Merula, who was elected consul in place of Cinna, was flamen dialis, or Priest of Jupiter.

From Plutarch's Lives, Volume II by Stewart, Aubrey

Gaius had a long conversation with the chief flamen while Jovinian was allowed to amuse himself with looking over some ancient manuscripts kept in a chest in the room in which they were sitting.

From Jovinian A Story of the Early Days of Papal Rome by Kingston, William Henry Giles