Gehenna

[ gi-hen-uh ]

noun

1. (in the Bible) the valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem, where propitiatory sacrifices were made to Moloch.
2. hell ( def 1 ).
3. any place of extreme torment or suffering.

Gehenna

/ ɡɪˈhɛnə /

noun

1. Old Testament the valley below Jerusalem, where children were sacrificed and where idolatry was practised (II Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 19:6) and where later offal and refuse were slowly burned
2. New Testament Judaism a place where the wicked are punished after death
3. a place or state of pain and torment

Word History and Origins

Origin of Gehenna¹

From Late Latin, from Greek Géenna, from Hebrew Gē-Hinnōm “hell,” short for gē ben Hinnōm, literally, “valley of the son of Hinnom”

Word History and Origins

Origin of Gehenna¹

C16: from Late Latin, from Greek Geena, from Hebrew Gê' Hinnōm, literally: valley of Hinnom, symbolic of hell

Example Sentences

Medvedev, now deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, said Russia had different weapons, including the ability to "send all our enemies to fiery Gehenna", using a Hebrew term often translated as Hell.

From Reuters

The world is a strange, wavy place before your bleary eyes, too bright and too dim all at once, and that pounding in your head suggests the tortures of Gehenna itself.

From Seattle Times

Between its splashy opening scene — depicting a gruesome tribal ritual — and the credits' promise of appearances by genre favorites Lance Henriksen and Doug Jones, "Gehenna" misrepresents itself.

From Los Angeles Times

Carlin may keep his head down at first, replying “yes, sir” to every barked command, but he instinctively understands the laws that govern this white-walled Gehenna.

From Los Angeles Times

The hollering and the high-mindedness over, all that would be left would be another shabby little affair a la the Birmingham country club set, and a self-constructed private Gehenna with the latest Westinghouse appliances.

From Literature

Related Words

• inferno
• misery
• nightmare
• purgatory