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Definition of chartophylax
chartophylax
/ˌkɑːr.təˈfaɪ.læks/
char · to · phy · lax
Plural:chartophylaces
chartophylax Lexical Profile
CEFR
C2
Grade
13
Tier
3
Usage
Rare
Syllables
4
• noun
1
An official keeper of archives, records, or documents, particularly a high-ranking ecclesiastical officer or chancellor in the Byzantine Empire and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Example
"The patriarch appointed a trusted scholar as chartophylax to manage and preserve the extensive ecclesiastical archives of Constantinople."
Synonyms
View all synonyms for chartophylax• Rhymes for chartophylax
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Word Origin & Etymology
From Late Greek 'chartophylax' (keeper of archives), combining 'chartēs' (leaf of paper, papyrus, document) and 'phylax' (guard, keeper).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.
180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Chartophylax. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 10, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/chartophylax