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Glite Dictionary
ephor

ephor

1 9.9
One of five senior officials in ancient Sparta who watch and check the kings' power
  • noun
  • /ˈɛfər/
translation icon : éforo
  • The ephors had the power to veto decisions made by the Spartan kings.

Examples

  • For no Spartan king has gone to war without the ephors' blessing.

    300 (2007)

  • Tradition even Leonidas cannot defy... ...for he must respect the word of the ephors.

    300 (2007)

  • The ephors, priests to the old gods.

    300 (2007)

  • The ephors choose only the most beautiful Spartan girls... ...to live among them as oracles.

    300 (2007)

  • The ephors have spoken.

    300 (2007)

  • Each ephor was responsible for overseeing the education of Spartan boys.

  • The council of ephors met regularly to discuss matters of state and governance.

Synonyms

archon
vsephor
  • Literature
1 9.9

A leading city official in ancient Greece

is one of a small council that supervises government and limits kings
polemarch
vsephor
  • Archaic
9.9

An elected city official who looks after legal matters and public ceremonies in ancient Greece

focuses on supervising government and limiting kings rather than routine civic duties
eparch
vsephor
9.9

A person who governs a province in ancient Greece or the Byzantine Empire

is a member of a central five-person council that oversees and checks kings

Surface Forms

ephor singular
ephors plural

Etymology

Ephor comes from ancient Greek parts epi- 'over' and horan 'to watch', so it originally meant 'one who watches over'. That's why an ephor was a top official in Sparta who 'watched over' the government and checked the power of the kings.