# Moloch

> English word · Proper noun · IPA /ˈməʊlɒk/ · frequency rank #58,208

## Definitions
1. An ancient Ammonite deity worshiped by the Canaanites, Phoenician and related cultures in North Africa and the Levant, often depicted with the head of a bull.
2. A person or thing demanding or requiring a very costly sacrifice.

## Etymology
From the Proto-Semitic *malk- (“king”). The figurative sense derives from the Old Testament, in which it is alleged that the cult of Moloch involved the sacrifice of human children.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/moloch