Beelzebub
Americannoun
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the chief devil; Satan.
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a devil.
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(in Milton'sParadise Lost ) one of the fallen angels, second only to Satan.
noun
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Old Testament a god of the Philistines (2 Kings 1:2)
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Satan or any devil or demon
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By extension, a “Beelzebub” is any demon or evil spirit.
Beelzebub also appears in Milton's Paradise Lost as one of the fallen angels, second only to Satan in power.
Etymology
Origin of Beelzebub
Old English Belzebub , ultimately from Hebrew bá`al zebūb , literally: lord of flies
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
You know she’s supposed to be scary, but it’s easier to target Bliss’ blowhard unbeliever, who, by design, is so obnoxious that we pray Beelzebub will drag him into the green room.
From Los Angeles Times
They had songs called “Confession” and “Beelzebub Youth” that contended with religion, and one of their show flyers read: “Looking for a religious experience?”
From Los Angeles Times
In 1862, New York lawyer and Civil War diarist George Templeton Strong ended his unflattering description of Washington, D.C., with: “Beelzebub surely reigns here, and Willard’s Hotel is his temple.”
From Washington Post
He also calls to “Beelzebub,” who’s known as the prince of devils and to “Satan,” “morning star” and “Lucifer” to address the devil in all his names and forms.
From Los Angeles Times
It asks if his control over the Republican Party will endure into the next presidential contest, whether he himself will run in 2024, and what in Beelzebub’s name that would look like.
From New York Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.