Phlegethon

American  

[fleg-uh-thon, flej-] / ˈflɛg əˌθɒn, ˈflɛdʒ- /

noun

1. Also called Pyriphlegethon.  Classical Mythology. a river of fire, one of five rivers surrounding Hades.

2. (often lowercase) a stream of fire or fiery light.

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Phlegethon British  

/ ˈflɛɡɪˌθɒn /

noun

1. Greek myth a river of fire in Hades

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Other Word Forms

• Phlegethontal adjective
• Phlegethontic adjective

Etymology

Origin of Phlegethon

First recorded in 1350–1400; late Middle English, from Latin, from Greek phlegéthōn “blazing, flaming,” noun use of present participle of phlegéthein “to blaze”; phlegm

Example Sentences

Drinking from the Phlegethon was like gulping down a ghost chili smoothie.

From Literature

“I liked the Phlegethon better than this,” Percy muttered.

From Literature

He’d rather stand in the River Phlegethon, or get attacked by arai, or be trampled by giants.

From Literature

“Anyway,” she said, “I guess the brochure didn’t say much, because you weren’t spotlighted on the tour. We got to see the River Phlegethon, the Cocytus, the arai, the poison glade of Akhlys, even some random Titans and giants, but Nyx...hmm, no, you weren’t really featured.”

From Literature

But images of Tartarus kept burning in his mind—the River Phlegethon, the blistered ground where monsters regenerated, the dark forest where arai circled overhead in the blood-mist clouds.

From Literature