apophis
|a-poph-is|
🇺🇸
/əˈpɑːfɪs/
🇬🇧
/əˈpɒfɪs/
(Apophis)
chaotic serpent; threatening name
Etymology
'Apophis' originates from Greek, specifically the Hellenized form used in classical sources for the Egyptian serpent god (rendered in Greek as 'Apóphis'), where it represents the Egyptian name 'Apep' (a chaos-serpent).
'Apophis' changed from the Egyptian name 'Apep' (also written ʼApep or Apepi) into a Hellenized Greek form ('Apóphis') in classical accounts and later entered modern European languages as the proper name 'Apophis'; in modern times the name was applied to asteroid 99942 Apophis.
Initially it referred specifically to the mythological chaos-serpent opposing the sun god; over time the proper name was preserved and has been applied in modern contexts (notably to an asteroid), retaining associations of danger or threat.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
in ancient Egyptian mythology, a great serpentine embodiment of chaos and enemy of the sun god (commonly identified with the Egyptian name 'Apep').
In myth, Apophis tries each night to swallow the sun and must be defeated by Ra.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the near-Earth asteroid 99942 Apophis, discovered in 2004 and noted for early predictions of a non-negligible impact probability in the 21st century (later refined downward).
Astronomers tracked 99942 Apophis closely after its discovery because initial orbit calculations suggested a measurable impact risk.
Last updated: 2025/09/21 04:26