lector, ōris, m. [2. lego], one who reads.
- I. Lit.
- A. In gen., a reader: cum enim Brutus duos lectores excitasset, et alteri orationem legendam dedisset, etc., Cic. de Or. 2, 55, 223: nihil est aptius ad delectationem lectoris, quam fortunae vicissitudines, id. Fam. 5, 12, 4: se lectori credere, Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 214: otiosus, Quint. 4, 2, 4: adsiduo ruptae lectore columnae, Juv. 1, 13.
- B. In partic., a slave who read aloud to his master: unum aliquem constituere lectorem, Quint. 2, 5, 6: lectorem inducere, Plin. Ep. 9, 17, 3; cf. id. ib. 1, 15, 2.
- II. Transf., an officer in the Christian Church: itaque hodie diaconus, qui cras lector, Tert. adv. Haeretic. 41; Sid. Ep. 4, 25.