Standard Lemma guide

pastophorus

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • UK: /pastəˈfɔːɹəs/

1

noun

Meaning 1

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

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.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Egyptian: i-r:y-A48-aA:O31-Z1-A1 (jrj-ꜥꜣ) — type of priest in ancient Egypt
  • Demotic Egyptian: ⁠ (jrj-ꜥꜣ) — type of priest in ancient Egypt
  • French: pastophore — type of priest in ancient Egypt
  • Marathi: पास्तोफॉरस (pāstophŏras) — type of priest in ancient Egypt