Gomorrah

American  

[guh-mawr-uh, -mor-uh] / gəˈmɔr ə, -ˈmɒr ə /

noun

1. Also Gomorrha. (in the Bible) an ancient city destroyed, with Sodom, because of its wickedness.

2. any extremely wicked place.

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Gomorrah British  

/ ɡəˈmɒrə /

noun

1. Old Testament one of two ancient cities near the Dead Sea, the other being Sodom, that were destroyed by God as a punishment for the wickedness of their inhabitants (Genesis 19:24)

2. any place notorious for vice and depravity

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Other Word Forms

• Gomorrean adjective

Etymology

Origin of Gomorrah

From Late Latin Gomorr(h)a(m), from Greek Gómorr(h)a, an abnormal transliteration of Hebrew ʿămōrāh “sheaf (of grain)”; the normal transliteration of ʿămōrāh is Amora

Example Sentences

It comes shortly before the 80th anniversary of the allied bombing of Hamburg in July known as "Operation Gomorrah" that killed some 40,000 people and destroyed swathes of the city.

From Reuters • Mar. 31, 2023

The trip serves as a useful decompression chamber between Sodom and Gomorrah and Eden — an overture to “City,” through an increasingly barren, eye-popping landscape.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 21, 2022

The UnXplained The new episode “Acts of God” goes in search of the historical basis of biblical accounts of the Great Flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and Moses parting the Red Sea.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 22, 2022

“If we look back, we’ll turn into a pillar of salt,” he said, citing the biblical tale of what happened to Lot’s wife when she looked back against orders as they fled Sodom and Gomorrah.

From Washington Post • Nov. 23, 2020

I read all about Sodom and Gomorrah, had questions about the nature of brimstone.

From "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" by emily m. danforth