Trending: ‘perdition’

Perdition spiked in lookups on February 27th, 2019, during Michael Cohen’s testimony before the House Oversight Committee. Rep. Mark DeSaulnier wished Cohen luck on his “road to redemption,” noting that the “opposite of that is perdition, as I remember.”

Perdition has several obsolete or archaic meanings, including “utter destruction” and “loss.” Insofar as the word is employed in modern use it typically carries the meaning of “eternal damnation,” or “hell.”

Perdition came into English in the 14th century, borrowed from the Anglo-French perdiciun; it may be traced back further to the Latin perdere, meaning “to destroy.”

Now he came to have the greatest need of his Telescope to discern these, the Exhalations be|ing so very thick. Through which he could see the broad Road to Perdition thronged by full Caravans of silly men decoy'd in by the over-hot Zeal or officious Cheats of either blind or malicious Guides.
— Henry Hare Coleraine, The situation of paradise found out, 1683