hierophant

1 definition found

hierophant - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Hierophant \Hi*er"o*phant\ (h[-i]*[e^]r"[-o]*fant or
     h[imac]"[~e]r; 277), n. [L. hierophanta, hierophantes, Gr.
     "ierofa`nths; "iero`s sacred + fai`nein to show, make known:
     cf. F. hi['e]rophante.]
     The presiding priest who initiated candidates at the
     Eleusinian mysteries; hence, one who teaches the mysteries
     and duties of a religion or an arcane discipline; an
     expositor; as, In his television series "Cosmos", Carl Sagan
     became the foremost hierophant of modern cosmology.. --Abp.
     Potter.
  
     Syn: mystagogue. [1913 Webster]
  
     2. an advocate or spokesperson.
        [PJC]