Inferno Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

Literature

• Dante Alighieri’s 'Divine Comedy' features 'Inferno,' depicting his journey through hell, vividly describing its fiery landscapes.
• In literature and film, infernos are often used as a metaphor for chaos, destruction, and moral crisis.
• The concept of infernos appears in various cultures' mythology, often symbolizing devastating consequences of human actions.

Science

• An inferno can occur in wildfires, where dry conditions and strong winds contribute to uncontrollable flames.
• Fire behavior is analyzed by scientists to understand how infernos spread and to develop safety measures.
• Extreme heat from infernos can lead to pyrolysis, where organic materials decompose due to high temperatures.

Pop Culture

• The term has been used in songs and films, often representing intense emotions or catastrophic events.
• Video games sometimes feature inferno settings as challenging environments for players to navigate.
• The 'Inferno' trope often appears in action movies, symbolizing an antagonist's destructiveness.

History

• Historical events such as the Great Fire of London in 1666 are labeled infernos due to their widespread destruction.
• The Chicago Fire of 1871 is another famous inferno that led to significant changes in urban planning and fire safety regulations.
• Infamous infernos in history showcase the impact of industrial accidents, prompting advancements in safety protocols.

Main points about word origin

• The word comes from the Latin 'infernum,' meaning 'hell' or 'underworld,' reflecting its association with fire and heat.
• In medieval literature, the term was commonly used to describe the horrific flames of hell, connecting it to punishment and sin.
• The transformation into English occurred during the late Middle Ages, where it began to describe any large destructive blaze.

The word 'inferno' originated from Italian, where it means 'hell' or 'underworld'. It was first used in English in the early 19th century to refer to a large, uncontrolled fire. The popular association with Hell comes from Dante's 'Inferno', part of the epic poem 'Divine Comedy', written in the 14th century.

See also: infer, inferable, inference, inferior, infernal, inferrable, inferred.

At rank #27,048, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.

• ...
• 27045 autocrat
• 27046 trafficked
• 27047 octagon
• 27048 inferno
• 27049 bedridden
• 27050 reloading
• 27051 floe
• ...