Coryphaeus

Quick meaning: Coryphaeus is a noun meaning (Ancient Greece, drama, historical) The conductor or leader of the chorus of a drama.

Meaning

(Ancient Greece, drama, historical) The conductor or leader of the chorus of a drama.

More Meanings

1. (by extension) The chief or leader of an interest or party.
2. The leader of an opera chorus or another ensemble of singers.

Example Sentences

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.

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.

1986, Ladislav Matejka, I. R. Titunik, Translators' Preface, V. N. Vološinov, Marxism and the Philosophy of Language, page vii, Among those rare exceptions, fortunately, was that coryphaeus of modern thought in the humanities, Professor Roman Jakobson.

Post-classical references to the famous ‘chorus-trainer’ Sannio indicate that his role extended to performing and thus taking the coryphaeus role. The coryphaeus was both leader and teacher, and in performance played a crucial role in setting the time that the other dancers followed.

Word Forms

• coryphaeuses
• coryphaei
• corypheus

Synonyms for coryphaeus

Depending on context, synonyms include coryphe.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include corypheus, choregus, choragus, choregos, chorus, conistra.

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