Dictionary

Gehenna en · PROPN

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio
• /ɡəˈhɛ.nə/

Etymology

Borrowed from Ecclesiastical Latin gehenna, from Ancient Greek γέεννα (géenna), from Hebrew גֵּיהִנּוֹם (ge'henom, “hell”, literally “valley of Hinnom”), named after the Valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem, which was constantly filled with the waste of the city, which was then burnt. Heinous deeds are also associated with this valley, as during the time when Jerusalem was ruled by non-Jews (referred to in scriptures simply as 'pagans') child sacrifice was practiced there.

Meanings

1. In rabbinical literature and Christian and Islamic scripture, the place where the souls of the wicked go after death, where they suffer eternal damnation or annihilation.
   • Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of Gehenna? Matthew 23:33
2. Hell.
3. A place of suffering and misery.
   • School was Gehenna for the restless student.
4. The valley of Hinnom outside Jerusalem.
   • The people obeyed his commandment, and succeeding ages followed the example, and Gehenna became the general sink of the city, and the receptacle of all its pollutions. 1833, Selumiel, or a visit to Jerusalem, etc, page 185:
   • By the fifth century C.E., however, confusion about the tradition led to transference of the reputed site of Gehenna to the Kidron Valley, on the eastern side of Jerusalem. 1991, Bible Review:

Antonyms

heaven (antonym(s) of “Christianity, uncountable”)

Descendants

kehena

Synonyms

Gehennom · Gehinom · Gehenom · Jahannam · Gehinnom

Translations (54)

grc γέεννα (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · hu gyehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · ja 地獄 (where the wicked go) · pt Geena (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · tk Jähennem (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · ja ゲヘナ (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · el γέεννα (where the wicked go) · be гее́на (where the wicked go) · de Gehinnom (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · uk геє́на (where the wicked go) · nl gehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · ro gheenă (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · ru гее́нна (where the wicked go) · ca Gehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · fi Gehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · grc γέεννα (where the wicked go) · fi Gehenna (where the wicked go) · hi जहन्नम (where the wicked go) · tr cehennem (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · ru гее́нна о́гненная (where the wicked go) · sw jahanamu (where the wicked go) · hi जहन्नुम (where the wicked go) · ar الهَاوِيَة (where the wicked go) · cs Gehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · he גיהנום (where the wicked go) · sv Gehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · ro gheenă (where the wicked go) · ar جَهَنَّم (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · he גיא בן הנם (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · el γέεννα (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · hy գեհեն (where the wicked go) · ru гее́нна (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · syc ܓܝܗܢܐ (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · cs džehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · ja ゲヘナ (where the wicked go) · fr Géhenne (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · hy գեհեն (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · it Geenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · sw jahanamu (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · syc ܓܝܗܢܐ (where the wicked go) · hi जहन्नम (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · pl gehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · no Gehenna (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · fr Géhenne (where the wicked go) · cmn 地獄 /地狱 (where the wicked go) · cmn 革哈納 /革哈纳 (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · uk геє́нна (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · ms Gehena (where the wicked go) · he גיהנום (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · hi जहन्नुम (hell, in Abrahamic religions) · sv gehenna (where the wicked go) · pl gehenna (where the wicked go) · bg гее́на (where the wicked go) · es Gehena (hell, in Abrahamic religions)