Baalzebub
/ˌbeɪ.əlˈzɛb.ʌb/noun
A form of the name of a Philistine deity later used in Jewish and Christian tradition for a demon or chief devil.
Did you know?In the Bible, Baal-zebub appears as the god of Ekron, but later Jewish and Christian writers turned the name into a symbol of corruption, decay, and demonic power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Northwest Semitic
NW Semitic
baʿal zĕbûb
““Lord of the flies,” a title associated with a local deity or polemical name”
Hebrew Bible
Hebrew
בַּעַל זְבוּב
“Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron mentioned in 2 Kings”
Late Antiquity
Greek
Βεελζεβούβ
“A demonized form of the name in Jewish and Christian texts”
Latin
Latin
Beelzebub
“A major demon or devil in Christian tradition”
Modern English
English
Baalzebub
“A name for a demon, devil, or evil power”