Meanings
plural spondists
- archaicEgyptologyAn Ancient Egyptian priest responsible for pouring libations of water.
Spondists in the temple of Nebt-Hotep;
1855, Dunbar Isidore Heath, The Exodus Papyri, London : J.W. Parker, page 1753 more examples
I am the priest in Tattuo, the spondist of Abydos, growing tall among the tall. I am the priest in Abydos, the day of calling the world. I see the hidden places of the Rusta. I am the maker of the Festivals of the Spirit Lord of Tattu.
1867, Egypt's Place in Universal History: an Historical Investigation in Five Books Christian C. J. Bunsen: Vol. 5, page 162DSJOT-MEN. A spondist of the temple of Amen. Period uncertain. DSJOT-MONTH. A spondist of Amen, and prophet and overseer of the sacred scribes of the god. Period uncertain.
1876, William Ricketts Cooper, An Archaic Dictionary: Biographical, Historical, and Mythological: From the Egyptian, Assyrian, and Etruscan Monuments and Papyri, page 177"you who are in the service of Osiris or of Anubis," "priest, prophet, scribe, spondist, ministrant, male or female, every man and every woman passing by this tomb, statue, tablet or shrine, whether you be passing northwards or southwards as you desire to enjoy the favour of the king […]"
1880, The Hibbert Lectures, page 137
Origin
- Ancient Greekσπονδή“libation”
- Egyptiansqbb“libator”
- Englishspondist
Calque of Egyptian sqbb (“libator”), participle of sqbb (“to cool, to libate with water”), by way of Ancient Greek σπονδή (spondḗ, “libation”) suffixed with -ist.
More words from Egyptian, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
spondist. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spondist
“spondist.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spondist. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spondist,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spondist.
Source: spondist on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.