Hades

American  

[hay-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  

/ ˈheɪdiːz /

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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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

There is a timelessness to Mitchell’s work, thanks in large part to the ancient source material, the myths of Orpheus, Eurydice, Hades and Persephone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026

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

Nothing says “I’m building my brand” like a signature scent from Loewe or a standout patchwork cardigan from indie-darling brand Hades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026

Indie games Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hades 2, two of the most-anticipated and highly rated games of last year, picked up only a handful of nominations between them.

From BBC ● Mar. 12, 2026

Only with this in his hand would he be admitted to Hades.

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

Related Words

• inferno
• misery
• nightmare
• purgatory