coryphaeus

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coryphaeus

  • /ˌkɔɹəˈfiːəs/
  • /ˌkɒɹɪˈfiːʌs/

Where it comes from

Borrowed from Latin coryphaeus, from Ancient Greek κορυφαῖος (koruphaîos, “leader of the chorus in an Ancient Greek drama”), from κορυφή (koruphḗ, “top of the head, crown”) (possibly ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerh₂- (“head, top; horn”)) + -ῐος (-ĭos, suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘belonging to, pertaining to’).

noun coryphaeuses · coryphaei · coryphæus · corypheus · koryphaios

  1. historical The conductor or leader of the chorus of a drama. Then the coryphæus finishes the remaining part of the strophe. But when they have returned to order, Bacchus again interposes by beginning the antistrophe β', which the coryphæus ought to have done.

    Similar: coryphée

  2. broadly The chief or leader of an interest or party. Of the work which I have done, it becomes me not here to speak, save only as relates to the Satanic School, and its Coryphæus, the author of Don Juan.

    Similar: coryphe, coryphée

  3. The leader of an opera chorus or another ensemble of singers.

Translations

Every language

noun conductor of the dramatic chorus

Portuguêscorifeu
DeutschKoryphäe
Русскийдирижёр dirižór

noun chief or leader of an interest or party

Portuguêscorifeu
DeutschKoryphäe
Русскийкорифе́й koriféj

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Cite this
MLA

"coryphaeus." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/coryphaeus. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

coryphaeus. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/coryphaeus

Chicago

"coryphaeus." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/coryphaeus.

BibTeX
@misc{coryphaeus_2026,
  title = {coryphaeus},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/coryphaeus},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}