Potiphar

P3O1T1I1P3H4A1R1
UK/ˈpɒt.ɪ.fɑː/UK/ˈpɒt.ɪ.fə/US/ˈpɑ.tə.fɚ/

proper noun

An Egyptian and captain of the guard under Pharaoh.

RareScrabble 15

Meanings

proper noun
  1. biblicalAn Egyptian and captain of the guard under Pharaoh.

    And Joseph was brought down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, which had brought him down thither.

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 39:1

Origin

  1. Egyptianpꜣ-dj-pꜣ-rꜥ“he whom Ra gave”
  2. Biblical Hebrewפּוֹטִיפַר
  3. EnglishPotiphar

From Biblical Hebrew פּוֹטִיפַר (potifár), from Egyptian pꜣ-dj-pꜣ-rꜥ (“he whom Ra gave”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek Πετεφρῆς
  • Πετεφρῆς (Petephrês)an Egyptian and captain of the guard
Arabic فُوطِيفَار, قِطْفِير
  • فُوطِيفَار (fūṭīfār)an Egyptian and captain of the guard
  • قِطْفِير (qiṭfīr)an Egyptian and captain of the guard
  • قُطْفِير (quṭfīr)an Egyptian and captain of the guard
Hebrew פוטיפר
  • פוטיפר (potifár)an Egyptian and captain of the guard
Hindi पोतीपर
  • पोतीपर (potīpar)an Egyptian and captain of the guard
Italian Putifarre
  • Putifarrean Egyptian and captain of the guard
Latin Pūtiphar
  • Pūtipharan Egyptian and captain of the guard
Portuguese Potifar, Putifar
  • Potifaran Egyptian and captain of the guard
  • Putifaran Egyptian and captain of the guard
Spanish Potiphar
  • Potipharan Egyptian and captain of the guard
Cite this entry
APA

Potiphar. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Potiphar

MLA

“Potiphar.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Potiphar. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Potiphar,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Potiphar.

Source: Potiphar on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.