Moloch

Moloch, the biblical god of child sacrifice, is built on the Semitic word for 'king'; through Milton, Flaubert and Ginsberg he became, in English, French, German and Russian, the name for any cause that devours its people.

Weakest linkProbable

The road to English

From Proto-Semitic to Ammonite

From Late Latin to German

From Koine Greek to Russian

From Late Latin to French

From Late Latin to Italian

From Late Latin to Polish

From English to American English

From Biblical Hebrew to Modern Hebrew

3000 BCEProto-Semitic

Hops are evenly spaced; labels show the year each form is first attested.

Scripture