Etymo

doom

An unavoidable destructive fate.

Played on · Day 17 · word 4 of 5

Before it meant that.

How doom reached English

oldest first

Simplified path. The puzzle showed the main steps; the full route is being checked.

  1. Old English

    dōm

    ‘Judgement; decree’

  2. English

    doom

    ‘Destructive fate’

The story of doom

Doom did not always announce disaster. Old English dōm could be a judgement or decree. The later association with final fate and destruction gave the word its modern threatening weight.

Sources

Related

Doomsday preserves the connection with judgement particularly clearly.

More words from 22 September 2026

  1. metropolisA major city or principal urban centre.

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