Zoroaster

Alternative forms

• Zarathustra (directly from Avestan)

Etymology

From Latin Zōroastrēs, from Ancient Greek Ζωροάστρης (Zōroástrēs), from Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬚𐬎𐬱𐬙𐬭𐬀‎ (Zaraθuštra).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌzɒɹoʊˈæstəɹ/, /ˈzɒɹoʊˌæstəɹ/

Proper noun

Zoroaster (uncountable)

1. Ancient Iranian prophet after whom indigenous Iranian ethnic religion is named Zoroastrianism
2. Pseudepigraphic name used by various Ancient Greek and Latin authors of late antiquity to lend their opinions weight.
3. (Can we clean up⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) Ostensible source/founder of Mithraism, the "mysteries" of the Roman Mysteriae Mithrae ("Mysteries of Mithras", "Mithraic Mysteries"), an astrology-centric, middle-platonic mystery cult of the 1st-4th century Roman Empire whose adherents worshiped in "caves" (i.e. Mithraea) in imitation of "Zoroaster". (Porphyry, De Antro Nympharum 6)

See also

• Zoroastrian

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin Zōroastrēs, from Ancient Greek Ζωροάστρης (Zōroástrēs), from Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬭𐬀𐬚𐬎𐬱𐬙𐬭𐬀‎ (zaraθuštra).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌzoː.roːˈɑs.tər/, (Northern Standard Dutch) [ˌzoː.roʊ̯ˈɑs.tər]
• Hyphenation: Zo‧ro‧as‧ter
• Rhymes: -ɑstər

Proper noun

Zoroaster m

1. Zoroaster

   Synonym: Zarathoestra