Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP
as an early hierophant of birth control, Margaret Sanger had to face down often vehement opposition
Hierophant, hieroglyphics, and hierarch" have a common root: _hieros, a Greek word meaning "sacred." Hieroglyphics joins hieros with a derivative of glyphein, the Greek verb for "carve." Hierarch, a word that can refer to a religious leader in a position of authority, joins hieros with a derivative of archein, meaning "to rule." Hierophant itself joins the root with a derivative of phainein, which means "to show." The original hierophants were priests of the ancient Greek city of Eleusis who performed sacred rites. In the 17th century, when the word was first documented in English, it referred to these priests. By the 19th century, English speakers were using the term in a broader sense. A hierophant can now be a spokesperson, a commentator, an interpreter, or a leading advocate.
First Known Use: 1677
in the meaning defined at sense 1
See Words from the same yearSee words that rhyme with hierophant Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about hierophant
What made you want to look up hierophant? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz
Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
