Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A cephalophoran.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun Any of a group of Catholic
martyrs who were supposed to carry theirheads in theirhands . - noun obsolete The family of
mollusks with distinct heads. - noun obsolete The family of
ventricose andfiliform mushrooms .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
From French céphalophore, from Ancient Greek Κηφᾶς (Kēphâs) + -phore, from Ancient Greek -φορος (-phoros, "bearing"), a derivative of φέρειν (phérein, "to bear, to carry")
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Examples
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myroblyte commented on the word cephalophore
An iconographic term. The cephalophore in religious (esp. medieval Christian) art is a beheaded saint who displays his severed head to an audience.
December 12, 2006
qms commented on the word cephalophore
A cephalophore (from the Greek for "head-carrier") is a saint who is generally depicted carrying his or her own head; in art, this was usually meant to signify that the subject in question had been martyred by beheading. Handling the halo in this circumstance offers a unique challenge for the artist. Some put the halo where the head used to be; others have the saint carrying the halo along with the head.
The term "cephalophore" was first used in a French article by Marcel Hébert, "Les martyrs céphalophores Euchaire, Elophe et Libaire", in Revue de l'Université de Bruxelles, v. 19 (1914).
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalophore
April 28, 2016
madmouth commented on the word cephalophore
oddlyspecific.com
April 28, 2016
bilby commented on the word cephalophore
I think I should use this to refer to a motorcyclist carrying his/her helmet.
April 28, 2016
TankHughes commented on the word cephalophore
They Might Be Giants has a song about falling in love with a cephalophore. https://youtu.be/anWrcmKsYI8
April 28, 2016
qms commented on the word cephalophore
I think TankHughes deseves some sort of word hoarder's trophy for knowing about this They Might Be Giants song.
May 1, 2016
TankHughes commented on the word cephalophore
I <3 the -phore/-fer morpheme. It sticks out to me
I made a comic about it: http://tankhughes.com/?p=239
I made a list about it: https://www.wordnik.com/lists/bher--to-bear-or-carry
So... I'll accept the award, but I don't know what to wear to the ceremony.
May 1, 2016