Phrase guide

Egyptian darkness

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • Received-Pronunciation: /ɪˌd͡ʒɪpʃn̩ ˈdɑːknəs/
  • General-American: /əˌd͡ʒɪpʃən ˈdɑɹknəs/
  • rhymes with -ɑː(ɹ)knəs

1

noun

Meaning 1

Very intense darkness; pitch darkness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: dated, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Egyptian (adjective) + darkness, referring to the ninth of the ten Plagues of Egypt which God inflicted on the Egyptians to convince the Pharaoh to free the enslaved Israelites, described in Exodus 10:21–23 of the Bible (King James Version, spelling modernized): “And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt. And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven: and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.”

Across languages

Translations

2 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Polish: egipskie ciemności — very intense darkness (cognates) — see also pitch darkness
  • Russian: тьма еги́петская (tʹma jegípetskaja) — very intense darkness (cognates) — see also pitch darkness