ekpyrosis means the supposed periodic destruction of the universe. It carries an Arena rating of 1511, earned across 73 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, ekpyrosis ranks #450 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #1,087 of 17,124 for Most Sublime Words, #2,068 of 17,143 for Best Fossil-Poetry Words, #2,246 of 17,138 for Most Incisive Words.
Why “ekpyrosis” is a great word
EKPYROSIS — [Noun] The periodic annihilation of the universe by an all-consuming cosmic fire, as theorized in Stoic cosmology and revived in modern cyclic models. From Ancient Greek ἐκπύρωσις (ekpúrōsis, "conflagration"). Coined in its modern cosmological context in 2001 by physicist Paul Steinhardt. Unlike "palingenesis" (which denotes the rebirth that follows) or "apocalypse" (which implies a final, revelatory end), ekpyrosis is the cyclical, purgative fire itself. It is the celestial furnace reducing all matter to pure, searing light; the stars unmade into primal flame; the silent, absolute blankness before a new order precipitates. The cosmos, in this conception, does not end but purges itself—a cataclysm so total it becomes a form of cosmic hygiene.
Etymology
From Ancient Greek ἐκπύρωσις (ekpúrōsis).
noun
- The supposed periodic destruction of the universe
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- ekpyrotic 65% match — Used in the names "ekpyrotic universe" or "ekpyrotic scenario", coined specifically to name this theory. vs ekpyrosis →
- empyrosis 60% match — A general fire; a conflagration. vs ekpyrosis →
- doomsdayism 55% match — prediction of impending universal destruction or calamity vs ekpyrosis →
- apocatastasis 52% match — Restoration, renovation, reestablishment; An apocalypse leading to the remaking of the world rather than a Final Judgment, (Christianity) an Origenist doctrine condemned by the 543 C.E. Synod of Constantinople. vs ekpyrosis →
- götterdämmerung 52% match — The myth of the destruction of the gods in a final battle with the forces of evil; Ragnarök. vs ekpyrosis →
- endtime 52% match — The time when something ends, often referring to the end of humankind or the universe. vs ekpyrosis →
- eschatologism 51% match — The belief that the world is renewed through apocalyptic crises. vs ekpyrosis →
- doomsday 51% match — The day when God is expected to judge the world; the end times. vs ekpyrosis →