What is "satan"

Satan \Sa"tan\ (s[=a]"tan, s[a^]t"an obs ), n. [Heb. s[=a]t[=a]n an adversary, fr. s[=a]tan to be adverse, to persecute: cf. Gr. Sata^n, Satana^s, L. Satan, Satanas.] The grand adversary of man; the Devil, or Prince of darkness; the chief of the fallen angels; the archfiend.

I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
--Luke x. 18.

proper name of the supreme evil spirit in Christianity, Old English Satan, from Late Latin Satan (in Vulgate in Old Testament only), from Greek Satanas, from Hebrew satan "adversary, one who plots against another," from satan "to show enmity to, oppose, plot against," from root s-t-n "one who opposes, obstructs, or acts as an adversary."\n

\nIn Septuagint (Greek) usually translated as diabolos "slanderer," literally "one who throws (something) across" the path of another (see devil (n.)), though epiboulos "plotter" is used once.\n\nIn biblical sources the Hebrew term the satan describes an adversarial role. It is not the name of a particular character. Although Hebrew storytellers as early as the sixth century B.C.E. occasionally introduced a supernatural character whom they called the satan, what they meant was any one of the angels sent by God for the specific purpose of blocking or obstructing human activity.

[Elaine Pagels, "The Origin of Satan," 1995]

Etymology 1 n. (alternative form of Satan lang=en nodot=1) (qualifier: especially in the sense "a demon follower of Satan; a fallen angel"). Etymology 2

n. (obsolete form of satin English)

Satan ( satan, meaning "enemy" or "adversary"; shaitan, meaning; "astray", "distant", or sometimes "devil") is a figure appearing in the texts of the Abrahamic religions who brings evil and temptation, and is known as the deceiver who leads humanity astray. Some religious groups teach that he originated as an angel, or something of the like, who used to possess great piety and beauty, but fell because of hubris, seducing humanity into the ways of falsehood and sin, and has power in the fallen world. In the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, Satan is primarily an accuser and adversary, a decidedly malevolent entity, also called the devil, who possesses demonic qualities.

Although Satan is generally viewed as having negative characteristics, some groups have very different beliefs. In Theistic Satanism, Satan is considered a deity who is either worshipped or revered. In LaVeyan Satanism, "Satan" is a symbol of virtuous characteristics and liberty.

Satan is an embodiment of antagonism, often synonymous with the devil.

The word may also refer to:

Satan, in comics, may refer to:

• Satan (Image Comics), the ruler of Hell in the Spawn universe
• Satan (Marvel Comics), a number of characters who assumed the identity of Satan in the Marvel Universe, in particular Marduk Kurios, who initially went by the name "Satan" and had two children:
  • Daimon Hellstrom, who goes by the name "Son of Satan" and, after defeating his father, he ruled Hell and became "Satan"
  • Satana (Marvel Comics), Satan's daughter
• Satan, a DC Comics character who appeared in a number of stories in the 1980s, in particular with Deadman in Action Comics
• Satan's Six, a Topps Comics title, part of Jack Kirby's "Kirbyverse" which centered on the Secret City Saga
• The Satan Claw, a weapon used by Baron Strucker

Satan are a heavy metal band originating from Newcastle, England in 1979, known as part of the new wave of British heavy metal movement. The band is considered influential for playing a form of proto- thrash/ speed metal that was fairly advanced by the standards of the early 1980s.

Their line-up has undergone a number of personnel changes and even name changes; for a time the band was called Blind Fury, putting out one album, 1985's Out of Reach, under that moniker before reverting to Satan. In 1988, the group changed its name to Pariah, releasing two albums under that name before folding in the early 90s. In 1998, Pariah released another album. The band's shifting line-up has included members of many other heavy metal bands such as Blitzkrieg, Atomkraft, Avenger, Persian Risk, Cronos and Battleaxe. In 1990, Steve Ramsey (guitar) and Graeme English (bass) together with singer Martin Walkyier of UK thrash metal band Sabbat founded folk metal band Skyclad.

Satan performed a one-off gig at Germany's Wacken Open Air in 2004 and finally reunited in 2011. Since their reunion, the band has performed at several European festivals and released a new album, Life Sentence, in April, 2013 via Listenable Records. In 2014 the band increased their global reach by touring in North and South America.

On 2 October 2015 the band released their fourth studio album, Atom by Atom, while two days earlier the entire album was made available for streaming via Invisible Oranges.

Satan is a 1920 silent German drama film directed by F. W. Murnau. A fragment of the film is kept in the Cinémathèque Française film archive.

Satan is a 1991 Soviet thriller film directed by Viktor Aristov. It was entered into the 41st Berlin International Film Festival where it won the Silver Bear - Special Jury Prize.

Satan is an album by saxophonist Sonny Stitt recorded in 1974 and released on the Cadet label.