lord of the flies en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Australia) audio
Etymology
Calque of Biblical Hebrew בַּעַל זְבוּב (baʿal zəḇûḇ, “fly-lord, Beelzebub”), which in turn is a mistranslation of the name of the Semitic devil Baal-zevuv.
Meanings
- Beelzebub; Satan
- (idiomatic) a ruler over a worthless kingdom; leader of a meaningless microcosm.