Angra Mainyu is the Avestan name of Zoroastrianism's hypostasis of the "destructive/evil spirit". Angra Mainyu functions in Zoroastrianism as the main adversary either of the Spenta Mainyu, or directly of Ahura Mazda, the highest Zoroastrian deity. The Middle Persian equivalent of the name, Ahriman, can appear in English-language works as Ahreman or as Ahrimanes.