English Reference

Word

infernal

Phoneticsin·fer·nal

US/ˌɪnˈfɝnəɫ/

UK/ɪnfˈɜːnəl/

Definition

adj. relating to hell or the devil. It describes something that is very hot, loud, or unpleasant.

adj. relating to hell, the devil, or the infernal regions. Often used to describe environments or experiences that are intensely unpleasant, noisy, or oppressive.

Examples

“The infernal heat made it impossible to work outside.”

“The city's infernal traffic during rush hour is a major source of stress for local residents.”

“The poet's description of the infernal landscape is so vivid that the reader can almost feel the heat of the eternal flames and the weight of the heavy air.”

Examples

simple

“The infernal heat made it impossible to work outside.”

contextual

“The city's infernal traffic during rush hour is a major source of stress for local residents.”

complex

“The poet's description of the infernal landscape is so vivid that the reader can almost feel the heat of the eternal flames and the weight of the heavy air.”

Etymology

From Middle French infernal, from Medieval Latin infernalis, from Latin īnfernus, from īnferum (“netherworld, underworld, hell”), equivalent to inferno + -al.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

infernalAdjectiveinfernoNoun

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

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English Reference