canephore

noun

can·​e·​phore

ˈkanəˌfō(ə)r,

-ȯ(ə)r

variants or less commonly canephor

-ȯ(ə)r

or canephora

kəˈnefərə

or canephoros

⸗ˈ⸗ərəs,

-ˌräs

or canephorus

⸗ˈ⸗ərəs

plural canephores

ˈ⸗⸗ˌ⸗

also canephorae

⸗ˈ⸗⸗ˌrē,

-ˌrī

or canephori

⸗ˈ⸗⸗ˌrī,

-ˌrē

1

: a maiden bearing a basket on her head in an early Greek religious festival

2

: a caryatid supporting a basketlike member that serves as a capital

Word History

Etymology

Latin canephoros, canephora, from Greek kanēphoros, from kaneon reed basket (from kanna reed) + -phoros -phorous

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