perdition

American  

[per-dish-uhn] / pərˈdɪʃ ən /

noun

1. a state of final spiritual ruin; loss of the soul; damnation.

2. the future state of the wicked.

3. hell.

4. utter destruction or ruin.

5. Obsolete. loss.

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perdition British  

/ pəˈdɪʃən /

noun

1. Christianity

   1. final and irrevocable spiritual ruin

   2. this state as one that the wicked are said to be destined to endure for ever

2. another word for hell

3. archaic utter disaster, ruin, or destruction

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Etymology

Origin of perdition

First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin perditiōn-, stem of perditiō “destruction,” from perdit(us) “lost” (past participle of perdere “to do in, ruin, lose,” from per- per- + -dere, combining form of dare “to give”) + -iō -ion; replacing Middle English perdiciun, from Old French, from Latin, as above

Example Sentences

If so, which people are allowed in and which are banished to perdition, if not sentenced to be annihilated?

From Salon • Jul. 29, 2023

The final showdown involves a high-stakes game of curling and a fiery portal to perdition.

From New York Times • Dec. 2, 2022

But in the process of laying out the road to perdition, Walker demonstrates the depths of his humanity and challenges us to bridge the distance that we imagine separates us from the damned.

From Washington Post • Aug. 13, 2018

But that’s really just another way of saying the company is still losing millions buying movie tickets, with no obvious path out of financial perdition.

From Slate • May 8, 2018

The letters were kind of crooked and a little uneven but they looked to read perdition.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool