inferno
English
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.
Pronunciation
- (US) IPA(key): /ɪnˈfɝnoʊ/
- Rhymes: -ɜː(r)nəʊ
Noun
inferno (plural infernos)
- A place or situation resembling Hell.
- D. C. Worcester
- At each sudden explosion in the inferno below they sprang back from the brink [of the volcanic crater].
- D. C. Worcester
- A large fire, a conflagration.
- 2006, Edwin Black, chapter 1, in Internal Combustion:
- 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.
-
Synonyms
Related terms
Translations
|
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout#Translations.
Further reading
Dutch
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.
Pronunciation
Audio (file)
Noun
inferno n (plural inferno's, diminutive infernootje n)
Synonyms
- (a hell-like place): onderwereld
- (hellfire): hellevuur
- (a large fire): vuurzee, vlammenzee
Galician

Etymology
Inherited from Old Portuguese inferno, from Latin īnfernus (“infernal; of the lower regions”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /iɱˈfɛɾno̝/
Noun
inferno m (plural infernos)
- (Christianity) hell
- (figuratively) a very unpleasable or negative situation
Derived terms
- infernal
- inferniño
References
- “inferno” in Dicionario de Dicionarios do galego medieval, SLI - ILGA 2006-2012.
- “inferno” in Dicionario de Dicionarios da lingua galega, SLI - ILGA 2006-2013.
- “inferno” in Tesouro informatizado da lingua galega. Santiago: ILG.
- “inferno” in Álvarez, Rosario (coord.): Tesouro do léxico patrimonial galego e portugués, Santiago de Compostela: Instituto da Lingua Galega.
Italian
Pronunciation
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -ɛrno
infèrno, /inˈfɛrno/
Related terms
Descendants
Latin
Norwegian Bokmål
Noun
inferno n (definite singular infernoet, indefinite plural inferno or infernoer, definite plural infernoa or infernoene)
- an inferno
Norwegian Nynorsk
Portuguese
Etymology
From Old Portuguese inferno, iferno, from Latin īnfernus (“infernal; of the lower regions”).
Pronunciation
- (Portugal) IPA(key): /ĩ.ˈfɛɾ.nu/
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /ĩ.ˈfɛɾ.nʊ/, /ĩ.ˈfɛʁ.nʊ/
- (Carioca) IPA(key): /ĩ.ˈfɛχ.nʊ/
- (Caipira) IPA(key): /ĩ.ˈfɛɻ.nʊ/
- (South Brazil) IPA(key): /ĩ.ˈfɛɾ.no/, /ĩ.ˈfɛɻ.no/
- Hyphenation: in‧fer‧no
Noun
inferno m (plural infernos)
- (Christianity) hell (where sinners go)
- (figuratively) a very unpleasant or negative situation
- (figuratively) a very hot place
Related terms
Swedish
Usage notes
- Swedes would associate inferno with Dante but also with August Strindberg
Declension
Declension of inferno | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Singular | Plural | |||
Indefinite | Definite | Indefinite | Definite | |
Nominative | inferno | infernot | infernon | infernona |
Genitive | infernos | infernots | infernons | infernonas |
Related terms
- infernalisk