Standard Lemma guide

netherworld

noun · 5 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: N EH1 DH ER0 W ER2 L D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The place to which one's spirit descends upon death, conceived as below the surface of the earth.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • In some religions, one's soul departs to a netherworld, instead of the heavens.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

The locale of the spirit world or afterlife, whether deemed to be situated below the world of the living or not.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • While I was astrally projecting, I felt my soul pass through many insubstantial netherworlds.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

Specifically, a location of punishment in the afterlife; a hell.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The missionary was motivated by a sincere desire to rescue souls from eternal torment in the netherworld.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A hidden, shadowy, or sinister subculture, such as that of organized crime.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly

Examples

  • Richard had been initiated into the netherworld of dog racing by his father, and knew all the popular greyhound performance-enhancing drugs.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

(religion) the world of the dead-Theognis

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • No one goes to Hades with all his immense wealth

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Hell, Hades, infernal region, Scheol, underworld

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: imaginary place, mythical place, fictitious place

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English nether- Proto-Indo-European *weyh1-? Proto-Indo-European *wiHrós Proto-Germanic *weraz Proto-Indo-European *h2el- Proto-Indo-European *h2életi Proto-Germanic *alaną Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Germanic *-þiz Proto-Germanic *aldiz Proto-Germanic *weraldiz Proto-West Germanic *weraldi Old English weorold Middle English world English world English netherworld From nether- (“beneath, lower”) + world.

Across languages

Translations

17 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 冥界 (míngjiè) — the spirit world
  • Chinese Mandarin: 幽冥 (yōumíng) — the spirit world
  • Danish: underverden — the spirit world
  • Finnish: tuoni — the spirit world
  • French: inframonde — the spirit world
  • French: enfers — the spirit world
  • Hebrew: שְׁאוֹל (sh'ol) — the spirit world
  • Hittite: 𒋼𒂊𒈾𒌋𒉿𒀸 (tēnawaš) — the spirit world
  • Hungarian: alvilág — the spirit world
  • Japanese: 冥界 (meikai) — the spirit world
  • Korean: 명계 (myeonggye) — the spirit world
  • Latin: infera — the spirit world
  • Latin: Orcus — the spirit world
  • Lü: ᦵᦙᦲᧂᦕᦲ (moengṗhii) — the spirit world
  • Māori: Rarohenga — the spirit world
  • Polish: zaświaty — the spirit world
  • Russian: преиспо́дняя (preispódnjaja) — the spirit world