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

When he is sold to Potiphar his rise begins.

From Time Magazine Archive

Discussion now turns chiefly on the following examples of Sunday School editing: � When Joseph was 17 he was brought from Canaan into Egypt, sold to Potiphar, a captain of the guard.

From Time Magazine Archive

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

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