King of Terrors

proper noun

death

OriginBiblical Hebrew מֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהוֹת →
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Meanings

proper noun
  1. poeticdeath
    1 more example

    Mr. Dangerfield, or shall we say the villain, Charles Archer, with characteristic promptitude and coolness, availed himself of the interval to try every influence he could once have set in motion, and as it were to gather his strength for a mighty tussle with the king of terrors, when his pale fingers should tap at his cell-door.

    1863, J[oseph] Sheridan Le Fanu, “In Which Charles Archer Puts Himself upon the Country”, in The House by the Church-yard. […], volume III, London: Tinsley, Brothers, […], →OCLC, page 285

Origin

  1. Biblical Hebrewמֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהוֹת“king of terrors”
  2. EnglishKing of Terrors

Calque of Biblical Hebrew מֶ֣לֶךְ בַּלָּהוֹת (“king of terrors”) from Job 18:14.

More words from Biblical Hebrew

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

King of Terrors. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/King%20of%20Terrors

MLA

“King of Terrors.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/King%20of%20Terrors. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “King of Terrors,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/King%20of%20Terrors.

Source: King of Terrors on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.