Canephor
/ˈkænɪfɔːr/noun
A woman or figure who carries a basket, especially in ancient Greek ritual procession or in classical art.
Did you know?Canephor comes from Greek ritual life: the kanephoros was often a young woman carrying the sacred basket in processions, and the word’s root survives in modern terms for basket-like forms in classical art.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kanephoros
“basket-bearer, especially a young woman carrying a sacred basket in ritual procession”
Late Greek
Greek
kanephoros
“a ritual bearer of the sacred basket in ceremonial contexts”
Latin
Latin
canephorus
“a basket-bearer; a figure in classical art or ritual”
16th–17th Century
English
canephor
“a classical or artistic term for a basket-bearing figure, especially in reference to sculpture or architecture”
Modern English
English
canephor
“a woman or figure carrying a basket, especially in classical or artistic contexts”