Hades

American  

[hey-deez] / ˈheɪ diz /

noun

1. Classical Mythology.

   1. the underworld inhabited by departed souls.

   2. the god ruling the underworld; Pluto.

2. (in the Revised Version of the New Testament) the abode or state of the dead.

3. (often lowercase) hell.

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Hades British  

/ ˈheɪdɪən, ˈheɪdiːz, heɪˈdiːən /

noun

1. Greek myth

   1. the underworld abode of the souls of the dead

   2. Pluto, the god of the underworld, brother of Zeus and husband of Persephone

2. New Testament the abode or state of the dead

3. informal (often not capital) hell

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Hades Cultural  

1. The Greek and Roman god of the underworld and the ruler of the dead. Also called Dis. The underworld itself was also known to the Greeks as Hades.

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Discover More

The Greek and Roman underworld later became associated with the hell of Christianity, as in the expression “hot as Hades.”

Other Word Forms

• Hadean
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Hades

First recorded in 1590–1600

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Hades

While nLight’s lasers haven’t yet been used under combat conditions, the company has mounted its Hades 70kW units on U.S.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026

Normally the famous singer is more seriously engaged in Hades and the Valley of the Blessed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 7, 2026

For example, I had no issues running some of this year's biggest games such as Hades II, Blue Prince and Hollow Knight: Silksong.

From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2025

Or what in Hades will happen to the surviving characters?

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2025

So the two passed through the great doors of Hades to the path which would take them out of the darkness, climbing up and up.

From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton

Related Words

• inferno
• misery
• nightmare
• purgatory