libationer

Noun

libationer (plural libationers)

1. A priest or religious official who conducts a libation ritual, in which a drink is poured as an offering to a divinity or ancestor.
   • That the libation was the all-important element at this ceremony is further illustrated by the fact that a regular attribute of Isis as the chief officiant thereat is ḳbḥ∙ t “the (female) libationer” (id., pp. 13, 55, 56).2012, Aylward M. Lloyd, Gods Priests & Men, page 83
   • However, on special occasions there may be an elaborate and complex ritual and more than one libationer, usually a leading or chief libationer and an assistant or a number of assistants.2015, Kimani S. K. Nehusi, Libation: An Afrikan Ritual of Heritage in the Circle of Life, page 16
2. A Taoist religious office analogous to that of parish priest.
   • Harming other people or bullying them because the libationer is in a position of power or has connexions with people in power is also proscribed (60, 92).1995, Taoist Resources - Volume 6, Issue 2, page 13
   • Its primary office, that of the "libationer" (chi-chiu), was open to women and men alike, though scholars today have begun to question whether that office was actually clerical or simply a term for lay leaders.2004, Russell Kirkland, Taoism: The Enduring Tradition, page 135
3. The head of the Chinese Imperial College (Han dynasty through the Qing dynasty), and, by extension, any of the most highly respected scholars during that time period.
   • Take the libationer of the Imperial College, for instance, who is my tutor.1971, Leonard Feinberg, Asian Laughter: An Anthology of Oriental Satire and Humor, page 186
   • From the Han and Wei Dynasties onwards, this became an official title, like libationer of the imperial academy, libationer of the imperial college, etc.1972, Xun Lu, Old Tales Retold, page 69