1. In ancient Greece, a young man of military age (typically 18–20 years old) undergoing state-sponsored military training.
Usage: historical; often capitalized when referring to the institution

Examples

• The ephebus completed his two years of mandatory military service in Athens.
• Young men became an ephebus upon reaching adulthood in classical Greece.
• The epheboi, plural of ephebus, trained together under strict military discipline.
• An ephebus was expected to master both weapons and civic duties.
• The institution of the ephebus reflected the Greek emphasis on preparing youth for citizenship and defense.