Apophis

American  

[uh-poh-fis] / əˈpoʊ fɪs /

noun

Egyptian Mythology.

1. a demon serpent of darkness whom Ra, as sun god, destroys every morning at dawn.

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Etymology

Origin of Apophis

< Greek Ápophis < Egyptian; see Apepi

Example Sentences

This happened in 2004 when an asteroid called Apophis was calculated to have a 2.7% chance of striking Earth in 2029; further observations ruled out an impact.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2025

Apophis is a stony asteroid, the most common type of potentially hazardous asteroid.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2023

Meanwhile, OSIRIS-Rex is now chasing a new target — a near-Earth asteroid named Apophis.

From DOGO News • Oct. 4, 2023

The OSIRIS-REx will now be called OSIRIS-APEX, and it will travel to another asteroid, called Apophis, to study it.

From NewsForKids.net • Sep. 26, 2023

We are assured that formerly "Sin the great serpent," or Apophis the giant, was distinct from Seth who was a deity and a part of the divine system.

From The God-Idea of the Ancients or Sex in Religion by Gamble, Eliza Burt