Ahab
|A-hab|
/ˈeɪˌhæb/
obsession, idolatry
Etymology
'Ahab' originates from Hebrew, specifically the word 'אחאב' (Aḥʾāḇ), where 'אח' (aḥ) meant 'brother' and 'אב' (ʾāḇ) meant 'father'.
'אחאב' (Aḥʾāḇ) was adopted into English as 'Ahab', maintaining its original form and meaning.
Initially, it referred to the biblical king, but it also became associated with the fictional character in 'Moby-Dick'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
ahab is a biblical figure, the seventh king of Israel, known for his idolatry and conflict with the prophet Elijah.
King Ahab's reign was marked by his marriage to Jezebel and the worship of Baal.
Noun 2
ahab is also a fictional character, the monomaniacal captain of the whaling ship Pequod in Herman Melville's novel 'Moby-Dick'.
Captain Ahab's obsession with the white whale, Moby Dick, leads to his downfall.
Last updated: 2025/06/05 01:21