pastophorus

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A type of lesser priest in ancient Egypt, originally serving as a doorkeeper to a temple.

Pronunciation

/pastəˈfɔːɹəs/

Word forms

pastophorus pastophori

Etymology

From Latin pastophorus, from Hellenistic Ancient Greek παστοφόρος (pastophóros), from παστός (pastós, “ceremonial curtain”) + -φόρος (-phóros, “bearer”), a loose calque of Demotic Egyptian jrj-ꜥꜣ, from Egyptian jrj-ꜥꜣ (“doorkeeper”), from jrj (“keeper”) + ꜥꜣ (“door”). An old interpretation of the Greek term as ‘shrine-bearer’ is now rejected.

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