amphora
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈæmfəɹə/
ipa: /æmˈfɔ(ː)ɹə/
Forms: form: amphoras
form: amphorae
form: amphorai
Etymology: From Latin amphora (“large wine vessel, Roman unit of liquid measure”), from Ancient Greek ἀμφορεύς (amphoreús, “two-handled pitcher, Greek units of liquid measure”), ultimately from Mycenaean Greek 𐀀𐀠𐀡𐀩𐀸 (a-pi-po-re-we, “carried on both sides”).
Senses: examples: text: By concurrent use of panel decoration and concentric-circle ornament, and by free employment of red paint, the fully developed style of the Geometric Period attains a wide range of rich and elaborate effects. These are best displayed on the necks and shoulders of the very large amphorai which are characteristic of this period.
ref: 1914, John L[inton] Myres, Handbook of the Cesnola Collection of Antiquities from Cyprus, New York, N.Y., page 76:
text: A complete set for a ten-man symposion (an ordinary size) with ten deep cups, ten shallow cups, two mixing-bowls, two wine-jugs, two hydriai, two amphorai would cost in the neighbourhood of forty drachmai, and that would not be an unreasonable price for a rich man for a special occasion.
ref: 1973, T[homas] B[ertram] L[onsdale] Webster, Athenian Culture and Society, London: Batsford, →ISBN, page 137:
text: Traditionally, the style of an artefact has been separated from its function. Thus, the function of a Greek pot – defined in terms of whether it was intended for transportation (hydriai or large amphorai), storage (pithoi and some kraters), distribution (oinokhoai) or consumption (cups, skyphoi and plates) – tends to be treated separately from any painted decoration on its surface.
ref: 1997, Jonathan M[ark] Hall, Ethnic Identity in Greek Antiquity, Cambridge University Press, published 2004, →ISBN, page 133:
glosses: A large vessel, especially a thin-necked clay vat used in ancient Greece and Rome for storing and transporting wine and oil.
glosses: 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.
glosses: A Roman unit of ship capacity, similar to tonnage.
topics: biology
botany
natural-sciences
glosses: A lower valve of a fruit that opens transversely.
Synonyms: sense: unit of liquid volume
word: Roman amphora
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: quadrantal
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: amphora quadrantal
Coordinate terms: sense: large vessel
word: bottle
sense: large vessel
word: jug
sense: large vessel
word: keg
sense: large vessel
word: barrel
sense: large vessel
word: cask
sense: large vessel
word: tun
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: lingula (1
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: 2304 amphora)
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: cyathus (1
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: 576 amphora)
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: acetabulum (1
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: 384 amphora)
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: quartarius (1
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: 192 amphora)
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: hemina (1
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: 96 amphora)
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: sextarius (1
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: 48 amphora)
sense: unit of liquid volume
alt: ⅛ amphora
word: congius
sense: unit of liquid volume
alt: ½ amphora
word: urna
sense: unit of liquid volume
word: culeus (20 amphoras)
Derived terms: amphoral
amphoralike
French amphora
Greek amphora
Roman amphora
Related terms: amphoric
amphora quadrantal