Bible Lexicons

ἀρχι-τρίκλῑνος, ὁ,

1. president of a banquet (triclinium), John 2:9.

2. head-waiter, Hld. 7.27.

ἀρχιτρίκλινος, ἀρχιτρικλινου, ὁ (τρικλινον (or τρίκλινος (namely, οἶκος), a room with three couches)), the superintendent of a dining-room, a τρικλιναρχης, table-master: John 2:8f (cf. B. D. under the word ). It differs from the master of a feast, συμποσιαρχης, toast-master, who was one of the guests selected by lot to prescribe to the rest the mode of drinking; cf. Sir. 35:1 (Sir. 32:1). But it was the duty of the ἀρχιτρίκλινος to place in order the tables and couches, arrange the courses, taste the food and wine beforehand, etc. (Heliodorus 7, 27) (Some regard the distinction between the two words as obliterated in later Greek; cf. Sophocles' Lexicon, under the word, and Schaff's Lange's Commentary on John, the passage cited.)

*† ἀρχι -τρίκλινος , -ου , ὁ

(< τρί -κλινος or -ον , a room with three couches)

the superintendent of a banquet, whose duty it was to arrange the tables and food (DB, ii, 253): John 2:8-9.†