Home › Glossary › Letter B

Beelzebub

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

A name associated with a ruler of demons and demonic accusation.

Detailed Definition
Beelzebub appears in the New Testament as a title for the prince of demons, and the name has roots in an older tradition concerning a foreign deity. In poetry, it can embody corruption that governs from within, the whisper that turns temptation into policy, or evil wearing the costume of authority. Its heavy consonants and ancient resonance make it useful for naming a force that feeds on division, mocks conscience, and converts spiritual disorder into a throne.
Example
Example in poetry:
Beelzebub may appear as a poetic name for Satan or a personification of evil; “Beelzebub whispered through the factory smoke” uses the figure to embody corruption; A poet can invoke Beelzebub to portray temptation that seems powerful but grotesque; The term may also be used ironically for a petty tyrant who behaves like a lord of flies
Additional Notes
Beelzebub is a biblical name associated with Satan or the ruler of demons, especially in the Gospels. The term can suggest temptation, corruption, accusation, or an oppressive spiritual power. Because its meaning and spelling vary across translations, context helps distinguish a literal theological reference from a poetic symbol of evil.
Other Meanings of “Beelzebub”
Also Known As
Beelzebul Lord of the Flies
Skip to main content