amphora

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Etymology

From Latin amphora, from Ancient Greek ἀμφορεύς, ultimately from gmy 𐀀𐀠𐀡𐀩𐀸.

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈæmfəɹə/
• IPA: /æmˈfɔ(ː)ɹə/ (prescriptively "incorrect" but common; /ˈa-/ in Latin)

Noun

amphora (plural amphoras)

1. (chiefly historical) A large vessel, especially a thin-necked clay vat used in ancient Greece and Rome for storing and transporting wine and oil.
2. (historical) A Roman unit of liquid measure reckoned as the volume of 80 Roman pounds of wine and equivalent to about 26 L although differing slightly over time.
3. (historical) A Roman unit of ship capacity, similar to tonnage.
4. (botany) A lower valve of a fruit that opens transversely.

Synonyms

• (unit of liquid volume) Roman amphora, quadrantal, amphora quadrantal

Related terms

• amphoric, amphora quadrantal

Translations

• French: amphore
• German: Amphore
• Italian: anfora
• Portuguese: ânfora
• Russian: а́мфора
• Spanish: cántaro

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