ephor

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   one of five annually elected senior magistrates in ancient Sparta, empowered to supervise the kings and enforce civic law

   Each ephor served for only one year but could summon a Spartan king to answer a charge.

2. 2
   noun

   in modern Greece, an official responsible for supervising a public service, especially antiquities or public works

   The regional ephor approved the conservation plan for the newly excavated site.

Through Latin ephorus from Ancient Greek ephoros, meaning 'overseer', formed from epi, 'over', and horan, 'to see'. The literal sense of watching over someone developed into the title of a powerful supervisory magistrate.

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