Langimage
English

hell

|hell|

B2

/hɛl/

place of torment

Etymology
Etymology Information

'hell' originates from Old English, specifically the word 'hel,' where it referred to the nether world of the dead.

Historical Evolution

'hel' transformed into the Middle English word 'helle,' and eventually became the modern English word 'hell'.

Meaning Changes

Initially, it meant 'the underworld,' but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'a place of torment or suffering'.

Meanings by Part of Speech

Noun 1

a place regarded in various religions as a spiritual realm of evil and suffering, often depicted as a place of perpetual fire beneath the earth where the wicked are punished after death.

Many religions describe hell as a place of eternal torment.

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Antonyms

Noun 2

a situation or place of great suffering, misery, or disorder.

The battlefield was a living hell.

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Antonyms

Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:40