Potiphar

American

[pot-uh-fer] / ˈpɒt ə fər /

noun

the Egyptian officer whose wife tried to seduce Joseph. Genesis 39:1–20.

Potiphar British

/ ˈpɒtɪfə /

noun

Old Testament one of Pharaoh's officers, who bought Joseph as a slave (Genesis 37:36)

"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

Etymology

Origin of Potiphar

Hebrew Pōṭīphar, Pōthīpheraʿ, from Egyptian p,ʾdj p,ʾre “he whom (the god) Re gives”

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The wife of Potiphar She doesn’t even get a name in the book of Genesis, but she’s notorious nonetheless.

From Salon • Aug. 23, 2012

Potiphar sent him to the island fortress of Zawi-Re in Lower Egypt.

From Time Magazine Archive

Carefully the National Sunday School Union substituted "tempted him to do evil" rather than give the exact words of the wife of Potiphar.

From Time Magazine Archive

In the house of Potiphar he was well favored and soon made overseer.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Yeah, but people are still messing up their lines, and we open on Friday. And freaking Potiphar screwed up a whole song today. God, I need a waffle.”

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023