Hades Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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Hades

[ˈheɪdiːz ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Noun}

Greek mythology

Hades is the god of the underworld in Greek mythology. He is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon, ruling over the dead and the realm of the afterlife. Hades is often depicted as a dark and mysterious figure, associated with death and the underworld.

Synonyms

Dis, Pluto.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
Hades	Referencing the Greek god of the underworld or the place of the dead in Greek mythology. It's commonly used in literature, mythology discussions, and cultural references. In Greek mythology, Hades is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon. The souls of the deceased were believed to go to Hades in ancient Greece.
Pluto	The Roman name for Hades, the god of the underworld, also used to refer to the dwarf planet. It can be used in both mythological contexts and astronomical discussions. Pluto, as the god of the underworld in Roman mythology, shares many characteristics with his Greek counterpart, Hades. The New Horizons mission provided detailed images of Pluto, the dwarf planet.
Dis	Used in Roman mythology to refer to the god of the underworld, similar to Hades in Greek mythology. Less common in general usage but found in classical literature and academic discussions. Dis was often depicted as a stern and rigid god in Roman mythology. The realm of the dead in Roman mythology was ruled by Dis.

Word

Description / Examples

Hades

Referencing the Greek god of the underworld or the place of the dead in Greek mythology. It's commonly used in literature, mythology discussions, and cultural references.

In Greek mythology, Hades is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon.
The souls of the deceased were believed to go to Hades in ancient Greece.

Pluto

The Roman name for Hades, the god of the underworld, also used to refer to the dwarf planet. It can be used in both mythological contexts and astronomical discussions.

Pluto, as the god of the underworld in Roman mythology, shares many characteristics with his Greek counterpart, Hades.
The New Horizons mission provided detailed images of Pluto, the dwarf planet.

Dis

Used in Roman mythology to refer to the god of the underworld, similar to Hades in Greek mythology. Less common in general usage but found in classical literature and academic discussions.

Dis was often depicted as a stern and rigid god in Roman mythology.
The realm of the dead in Roman mythology was ruled by Dis.

Examples of usage

Hades kidnapped Persephone and made her his queen in the underworld.
In Greek mythology, souls would be judged by Hades after death.

^{Context #2 | Noun}

Greek mythology

Hades is also the name of the underworld itself, where the souls of the dead reside. It is a dark and gloomy realm, ruled by Hades and his queen, Persephone.

Synonyms

Realm of the dead, underworld.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
Hades	This term can also be used to describe a place of torment or a hell-like place in a more colloquial or metaphoric sense. After losing the game, he felt like he was trapped in Hades The city's underbelly was often described as Hades by the locals
underworld	This term is versatile and can denote both the mythological underworld where souls go after death and the criminal underworld. When referring to mythology, it has a similar meaning to Hades. In many myths, heroes travel to the underworld to complete their quests He was involved with the criminal underworld and had many enemies
Realm of the dead	This phrase is common in fantasy and horror genres to refer to the domain where dead souls reside. It's more descriptive and less rooted in a specific mythology. The hero's journey took him to the Realm of the dead In the Realm of the dead, spirits wander aimlessly

Word

Description / Examples

Hades

This term can also be used to describe a place of torment or a hell-like place in a more colloquial or metaphoric sense.

After losing the game, he felt like he was trapped in Hades
The city's underbelly was often described as Hades by the locals

underworld

This term is versatile and can denote both the mythological underworld where souls go after death and the criminal underworld. When referring to mythology, it has a similar meaning to Hades.

In many myths, heroes travel to the underworld to complete their quests
He was involved with the criminal underworld and had many enemies

Realm of the dead

This phrase is common in fantasy and horror genres to refer to the domain where dead souls reside. It's more descriptive and less rooted in a specific mythology.

The hero's journey took him to the Realm of the dead
In the Realm of the dead, spirits wander aimlessly

Examples of usage

Heroes in Greek myths often journeyed to the underworld to seek guidance from Hades.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'Hades'

The word 'Hades' originates from ancient Greek mythology, where Hades was the god of the underworld. The name 'Hades' itself means 'the unseen' or 'the invisible', reflecting the mysterious nature of the underworld. Hades was not only the ruler of the dead but also the god of wealth, as precious minerals came from beneath the earth. The concept of Hades and the underworld has been a significant part of Greek mythology and has influenced various works of literature and art throughout history.