Juggernaut
[JUG-ər-not]
Part of speech: noun
Origin: Hindi, early 17th century
1.
An overwhelming force that destroys anything in its path
2.
An institution that inspires blind devotion and sacrifice
Examples of Juggernaut in a sentence
"The youngest candidate is a juggernaut, impressing voters and blowing away competitors in every debate."
"Harry Potter has turned into a global juggernaut, with the books having inspired movies, plays, theme parks, and any kind of merchandise you can think of."
About Juggernaut
The word juggernaut was adopted into English after a 14th-century monk came back from India with stories of how people worshipped the Hindu god Jagannath. In religious processions an enormous statue of Jagannath was carried through the streets on a carriage, and fanatical worshippers would throw themselves under the wheels as a sacrifice. Juggernaut came to be used in Europe to describe any massive vehicle or unstoppable force.
Did you Know?
Juggernaut is an X-Men villain from Marvel Comics who earned his powerful name because of his mutant abilities. He’s unstoppable once in motion; he doesn’t tire from physical activity; he heals quickly, and he can survive without food, water, and oxygen.
