Apophis

American  

[uh-poh-fis] / əˈpoʊ fɪs /

noun

Egyptian Mythology.

1. a demon serpent of darkness whom Ra, as sun god, destroys every morning at dawn.

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Etymology

Origin of Apophis

< Greek Ápophis < Egyptian; see Apepi

Example Sentences

The most serious near-miss, and the closest comparison with YR4, was an asteroid called Apophis which was first spotted in 2004 and measured 375 meters across, or around the size of a cruise ship.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2025

Though its return capsule is now back on Earth, the probe keeps on flying, toward another asteroid called Apophis.

From Scientific American • Oct. 11, 2023

Apophis is a stony asteroid, the most common type of potentially hazardous asteroid.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 10, 2023

Meanwhile, OSIRIS-Rex is now chasing a new target — a near-Earth asteroid named Apophis.

From DOGO News • Oct. 4, 2023

Their domination must have lasted a considerable time, the Rhind mathematical papyrus The Hyksos period. having been copied in the thirty-third year of a king Apophis.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 1 "Edwardes" to "Ehrenbreitstein" by Various