armageddon
|ar-ma-ged-don|
🇺🇸
/ˌɑɹməˈɡɛdən/
🇬🇧
/ˌɑːməˈɡɛd(ən)/
final, catastrophic battle / total destruction
Etymology
'armageddon' originates from Hebrew, specifically the elements 'har' + 'Megiddo', where 'har' meant 'mountain' and 'Megiddo' is the name of a place (Megiddo).
'armageddon' passed into English via New Testament Greek 'Armagedōn' (Ἁρμαγεδών) and Latin 'Armageddon' from translations of Revelation, and became established in English through Biblical and religious usage.
Initially, it referred to the place 'the hill/mountain of Megiddo' associated with a prophesied final battle; over time it evolved to mean 'the final catastrophic battle' or more generally 'total destruction/end of the world.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
(Biblical) The place named in the Book of Revelation associated with the final battle between the forces of good and evil.
In the Book of Revelation, Armageddon is described as the site of the final battle.
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Noun 2
a final, catastrophic conflict or event causing widespread destruction; used figuratively for any disaster or situation that could cause total ruin.
Many feared the financial crisis would trigger economic Armageddon.
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Last updated: 2025/10/15 21:06