Moloch
/ˈmoʊ.lɒk/noun
A biblical name associated with a deity or idol linked in the Bible to child sacrifice.
Did you know?In the Hebrew Bible, Moloch is associated with forbidden sacrifice, and later writers turned the name into a symbol of any devouring power that demands human cost.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Northwest Semitic
Semitic
mlk
“A root meaning "king" or "to rule" in several Semitic languages.”
Biblical Hebrew
Hebrew
mōlek / mōlḵ
“A term in the Hebrew Bible associated with a deity or cultic practice condemned as sacrificial.”
Septuagint / Ancient Greek
Greek
Moloch
“A transliterated name used in Greek biblical tradition.”
Latin / Medieval Christian
Latin
Moloch
“A biblical idol and symbol of abhorrent sacrifice and tyranny.”
Modern English
English
Moloch
“A personified power or system that demands terrible sacrifice; also the biblical name.”