inferno en · NOUN
Pronunciation
Etymology
From Italian inferno (“hell”), from Latin infernus (“of the lower regions”), inferna (“the lower regions”); see infernal. The meaning "big fire" came as a figurative use from the traditional idea of hellfire.
Meanings
-
A place or situation resembling Hell.
At each sudden explosion in the inferno below they sprang back from the brink [of the volcanic crater].
1899, D. C. Worcester, The Philippine Islands and Their People:When Jurgis had first inspected the packing plants with Szedvilas, he […] found that each one of these lesser industries was a separate little inferno, in its way as horrible as the killing beds, the source and fountain of them all[, and t]he workers in each of them had their own peculiar diseases.
1906, Upton Sinclair, The Jungle:
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A large fire; a conflagration.
Unfortunately for Admiral Kurita, this is where the good news ends. The fire started by New Jerseys hit amidships has spread, and there is now a towering inferno' that occupies the middle third of the Japanese battleship.
2021 May 5, Drachinifel, 34:59 from the start, in Battle of Samar - What if TF34 was there?, archived from the original on 08 Aug 2022:Blast after blast, fiery outbreak after fiery outbreak, like a flaming barrage from within,[…]most of Edison's grounds soon became an inferno. As though on an incendiary rampage, the fires systematically devoured the contents of Edison's headquarters and facilities.
2006, Edwin Black, chapter 1, in Internal Combustion:The inferno ripped through the forest, destroying anything in its path.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| infernos | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (55)
it fuogo grande (large fire) · mi toronga (large fire) · de Inferno (place or situation resembling Hell) · it inferno (large fire) · ru пе́кло (place or situation resembling Hell) · da inferno (place or situation resembling Hell) · fi pätsi (place or situation resembling Hell) · ar جَحِيم (place or situation resembling Hell) · fi inferno (place or situation resembling Hell) · nb inferno (large fire) · de Hölle (place or situation resembling Hell) · ru ад (place or situation resembling Hell) · nn inferno (large fire) · fi pätsi (large fire) · da inferno (large fire) · es infierno (place or situation resembling Hell) · la ignis grandis (large fire) · he תֹּפֶת (large fire) · ja 業火 (large fire) · sv inferno (place or situation resembling Hell) · es infierno (large fire) · ba тамуҡ (place or situation resembling Hell) · fi horna (large fire) · vi địa ngục (place or situation resembling Hell) · fi helvetti (place or situation resembling Hell) · es fuego grande (large fire) · fi horna (place or situation resembling Hell) · he תֹּפֶת (place or situation resembling Hell) · ar جَهَنَّم (place or situation resembling Hell) · ar جَحِيم (large fire) · ca infern (large fire) · fi tulihelvetti (place or situation resembling Hell) · ja 地獄 (place or situation resembling Hell) · nl vuurzee (large fire) · pt inferno (large fire) · fi liekkimeri (large fire) · mi ahi nui whakaharahara (large fire) · ko 지옥 (place or situation resembling Hell) · pt inferno (place or situation resembling Hell) · ba йәһәннәм (place or situation resembling Hell) · pt fogo grande (large fire) · cmn 地獄 /地狱 (place or situation resembling Hell) · it inferno (place or situation resembling Hell) · el κόλαση (place or situation resembling Hell) · ja 猛火 (large fire) · la incendium (large fire) · fr incendie (large fire) · ca foc gran (large fire) · nl inferno (large fire) · ar سَعِير (large fire) · fr enfer (place or situation resembling Hell) · it inferno di fiamme (large fire) · bg пъкъл (place or situation resembling Hell) · fr brasier (large fire) · bg ад (place or situation resembling Hell)