Ἀπολλύων
Apollýōn
G623 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Active agent of destruction; one who destroys, a destroyer. Contextually, used as a personification or title for a destructive being. In certain apocalyptic texts, refers specifically to a supernatural being associated with the power to destroy, understood symbolically as an agent of ruin or death.
Semantic Range
destroyer, one who causes destruction, agent of ruin, angelic being associated with destruction (specifically in apocalyptic literature)
Root / Etymology
From the present active participle of ἀπόλλυμι (apollymi, 'to destroy, to ruin, to cause to perish'). The participle ἀπολλύων means 'destroying (one).'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Ἀπολλύων occurs in Koine Greek with the literal sense 'destroyer,' formed as a participle acting as a substantive ('the destroying one'). Its earliest use in extant Greek is as an epithet connected with the act of destruction, not as a proper name. In the New Testament, Ἀπολλύων appears in Revelation 9:11 as a personification or symbolic figure, corresponding to the Hebrew name Abaddon ('Destruction'), and serves as a title for the angel of the abyss who holds authority over destructive locusts. While some translation traditions have equated it with 'Satan' or 'the Devil,' in the immediate literary context it refers to a specific angelic figure representing destructive power, not universally the adversary (Satan) of later Christian tradition. The term is not found in pre-Christian Greek literature as a proper name, and its function in Revelation highlights its apocalyptic imagery. English Bible translations have usually retained the Greek form 'Apollyon' or rendered it as 'the Destroyer,' but 'Apollyon' is not used as a common noun in Greek—it is a title created from a verb participle. The connection to the verb ἀπόλλυμι emphasizes the active force or agency of destruction rather than a specific mythological identity.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
active participle of ἀπόλλυμι; a destroyer (i.e. Satan):--Apollyon.
Root Family
Ἀπολλύων (Apollýōn) — destroy, cause to perish, ruin; destroyer
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G623-01 |
Ἀπολλύων | apolluon | N NOM M SG |
Apollyon | Destroyer | Destroyer | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G623-01 |
Revelation 9:11 | Ἀπολλύων | apolluon | N NOM M SG |
Apollyon | Destroyer | Destroyer |