armageddon

/ˌɑː.məˈɡɛ.dn̩/

Etymology

From Middle English Hermagedon, from Old English Ermagedon, from Latin Harmagedōn, from Ancient Greek Ἁρμαγεδών (Harmagedṓn), used in Revelation 16:16, referring to Mount Megiddo, the place of the last battle at the Last Judgment; from Hebrew הר מגידו / הַר מְגִדּוֹ (har megiddo).

Why this word is great

ARMAGEDDON — [Noun] The prophesied final battle between the forces of good and evil, or any catastrophic conflict signaling the end of the world. From Middle English Hermagedon, from Old English Ermagedon, from Latin Harmagedōn, from Ancient Greek Ἁρμαγεδών (Harmagedṓn), from Hebrew הַר מְגִדּוֹ (har megiddo, "Mount Megiddo"). Unlike "apocalypse" (which unfolds as revelation) or "catastrophe" (which strikes with indifferent force), Armageddon is a collision of wills, a duel of absolutes. It is the thunder of chariots in the valley, the silent moment before the sword falls, the last breath drawn before the world is unmade—not merely an ending, but a reckoning.

name

Mount Megiddo, the site of a prophesied final battle between the forces of good and evil.“And so, unfortunately, this great and spreading network of railways, that recently showed such promise as a major instrument in the modern development of China, must be left for the time being in the melting-pot of Armageddon.”
The battle itself.
Any end of the world, especially by way of a cataclysmic battle or something analogous to one.“Some say the end is near Some say we'll see Armageddon soon I certainly hope we will I sure could use a vacation from this ...”

noun

The scene of a decisive conflict on a great scale.
Any great and crucial conflict.“In comparison to Nixon-Mao, terrorism and armageddon, Anna Nicole Smith may seem lightweight, but it could prove an inspired choice.”
A type of game, usually played when a match would otherwise end in a draw, where black wins drawn games and white is given more time as compensation.