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

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

From Time Magazine Archive

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

From Time Magazine Archive

The part of the hierophant was taken by the false prophet himself.

From The Eleusinian Mysteries and Rites by Wright, Dudley

Sometimes the hierophant was known simply by the title of his office with the addition of his father's name.

From The Eleusinian Mysteries and Rites by Wright, Dudley