Serapis

noun

Se·​ra·​pis sə-ˈrā-pəs How to pronounce Serapis (audio)
: an Egyptian god combining attributes of Osiris and Apis and having a widespread cult in Ptolemaic Egypt and ancient Greece

Examples of Serapis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The ruins of Canopus suggest that the site boasted wonderful structures as well, including sanctuaries for the gods Osiris and Serapis. Joshua Learn, Discover Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023 The many rooms of the palazzo are each named with rather bizarre and wondrous monikers: Serapis, Hortus Deliciarum, Ganimede’s Meadow, Maison de l’Amour. Vogue, 12 July 2021 With the Prussians in Egypt and Napoleon’s nephew Louis-Napoleon on his way to the throne in Paris, in 1850 Auguste Mariette of the Louvre set out to discover the Serapeum, the monument to the god Serapis. Dominic Green, WSJ, 23 Oct. 2020 There is at first glance little to see, and though the site contains the ruins of some once-impressive structures—a temple of Serapis, a Roman aromatics distillery, and a fine bathhouse—the walls now rarely rise above knee-high. William Dalrymple, The New York Review of Books, 30 Mar. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Serapis.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from Greek Sarapis

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Serapis was in 1587

Dictionary Entries Near Serapis

Cite this Entry

“Serapis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Serapis. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on Serapis

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!