- (in ancient Greece) an official expounder of rites of worship and sacrifice.
- any interpreter of sacred mysteries or esoteric principles; mystagogue.
Origin of hierophant
Examples from the Web for hierophant
Historical Examples of hierophant
I'd no right to think anything at all about it, but I know some women take him for a hierophant.Audrey Craven
The hierophant of the sun-god made an effort to climb back on his pedestal.The Innocence of Father Brown
G. K. Chesterton
In the sacraments of Nagualism, Woman was the primate and hierophant.Nagualism
Daniel G. Brinton
The hierophant has repented, and is now in black Galilean vestments again!
The hierophant unknotted the bandage over his eyes, 91 and lo!
- (in ancient Greece) an official high priest of religious mysteries, esp those of Eleusis
- a person who interprets and explains esoteric mysteries
Word Origin for hierophant
Word Origin and History for hierophant
"expounder of sacred mysteries," 1670s, from Late Latin hierophantes, from Greek hierophantes "one who teaches the rites of sacrifice and worship," literally "one who shows sacred things," from hieros "sacred" (see ire) + phainein "to reveal, bring to light" (see phantasm). In modern use, "expounder of esoteric doctrines," from 1822.