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

The inferno swept through seven of the estate's eight towers, which were under renovation and wrapped in bamboo scaffolding, netting and foam boards -- materials that may have accelerated the spread of flames.

From Barron's

And if a spark did catch, it could quickly mirror the inferno that was engulfing Pacific Palisades, or worse.

From Los Angeles Times

The historic Union Corner, at the junction of Union Street and Gordon Street, was destroyed in the inferno on Sunday night after flames took hold in a vape shop.

From BBC

A fire break between the Union Corner building - which was destroyed in the blaze - and the external wall of the station is thought to have stopped Sunday's inferno spreading further.

From BBC

A firebreak between Union Corner and the external wall of the station is thought to have stopped Sunday's inferno spreading further.

From BBC

Related Words

• purgatory