1. Plural of ephor; in ancient Sparta, any of five elected magistrates who held executive and judicial power.
Usage: historical; usually used in plural form

Examples

• The ephori of Sparta wielded significant authority over the state.
• Ancient Greek historians documented the role of the ephori in Spartan governance.
• The five ephori served as a check on the power of the Spartan kings.
• During the Classical period, the ephori controlled military and diplomatic affairs.
• Scholars study the ephori to understand how Sparta maintained its political system.