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Avernus

[uh-vur-nuh s]
noun
  1. a lake near Naples, Italy, looked upon in ancient times as an entrance to hell, from whose waters vile-smelling vapors arose, supposedly killing birds flying over it.
  2. hell.

Origin of Avernus

< Latin < Greek áornos birdless, equivalent to a- a-6 + órn(is) bird + -os adj. suffix
Related formsA·ver·nal, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018