inferno

American  

[in-fur-noh, een-fer-naw] / ɪnˈfɜr noʊ, inˈfɛr nɔ /

noun

plural

infernos

1. hell; the infernal regions.

2. a place or region that resembles hell.

   The ironworks was an inferno of molten steel and half-naked bodies.

   Synonyms:

   oven, hellhole, furnace

3. (initial capital letter, italics) the first part of Dante's Divine Comedy, depicting hell and the suffering of the damned.

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inferno British  

/ ɪnˈfɜːnəʊ /

noun

1. (sometimes capital) hell; the infernal region

2. any place or state resembling hell, esp a conflagration

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Inferno Cultural  

1. The first section of The Divine Comedy, by Dante. Inferno is the Italian word for “hell.”

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Discover More

By extension, an “inferno” is a hot and terrible place or condition.

Etymology

Origin of inferno

1825–35; < Italian < Late Latin infernus hell, noun use of Latin infernus; infernal

Example Sentences

Most of those caught up in the inferno were Swiss, but a total of 19 nationalities were among those killed and wounded, including nine French and six Italian nationals.

From Barron's

If, more feasibly, England - with title aspirations - inflict another thrashing, those nip-tuck, nose-to-nose inferno finishes of years gone by would seem even more distant.

From BBC

But the usual party atmosphere surrounding the races has given way to a more muted event and sombre tributes, exactly a month after the January 1 inferno at the bar Le Constellation.

From Barron's

Prosecutors investigating the deadly New Year bar inferno in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana have accepted Italy's request for legal assistance, Switzerland's justice ministry said Friday.

From Barron's

A government committee has launched an investigation, but the cause of the inferno was not immediately clear.

From Barron's

Related Words

• purgatory