late 14c., used in Revelation ix.11 of "the angel of the bottomless pit," and by Milton of the pit itself, from Hebrew Abhaddon, literally "destruction," from abhadh "he perished." The Greek form was Apollyon.
Entries linking to abaddon
Apollyon
destroying angel of the bottomless pit in Revelation ix.11 (a name also sometimes given to the Devil), late 14c., from present participle of Greek apollyein "to destroy utterly" (from apo "from, away from" (see apo-) + olluein "to destroy, make an end of;" compare abolish); a translation of Hebrew Abaddon (q.v.).