Moloch

American  

[moh-lok, mol-uhk] / ˈmoʊ lɒk, ˈmɒl ək /

Also Molech

noun

1. (in the Bible) a deity whose worship was marked by the sacrifice of children by their own parents.

2. anything conceived of as requiring appalling sacrifice.

   the Moloch of war.

3. moloch, a spiny agamid lizard, Moloch horridus, of Australian deserts, that resembles the horned lizard.

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Moloch ¹ British  

/ ˈməʊlɒk, ˈməʊlɛk /

noun

1. Old Testament a Semitic deity to whom parents sacrificed their children

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moloch ² British  

/ ˈməʊlɒk /

noun

1. Also called: mountain devil.   spiny lizard.  a spiny Australian desert-living lizard, Moloch horridus, that feeds on ants: family Agamidae (agamas)

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Moloch Cultural  

1. A Canaanite idol who demanded the sacrifice of first-born children. The Old Testament prophets railed against the worship of Moloch by the Israelites.

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Discover More

Moloch also appears as one of the fallen angels in Milton's Paradise Lost and as a malevolent figure in other allegorical works of literature.

By extension, a “Moloch” is something that has the power to exact extreme sacrifice.

Etymology

Origin of Moloch

From Late Latin, from Greek Molóch, from Hebrew Mōlekh, which has the consonants of melekh “king” and the vowels of bōsheth “shame” (caused by idolatry and human sacrifice)

Example Sentences

"It is not the time" to question Moloch.

From Salon • May 27, 2022

Their most enthusiastic defender was J Michael Straczynski, who wrote the Nite Owl, Moloch, and Dr Manhattan prequels.

From The Guardian • Dec. 23, 2019

Now it’s all about sacrifice: Crane wants Henry to sacrifice Moloch and be free from those devilish ties.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2014

Then it was down to business: Moloch raised an army of ghouls up from their graves, and the battle was joined.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2014

The Moloch of the Canaanites is the cruel destroying god of war; fire in its consuming, though also in its purifying properties, was his element.

From The History of Antiquity, Vol. I (of VI) by Duncker, Max