netherworld

noun

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.

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

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

   “As Inanna prepares to descend she fastens the seven divine laws to her side, and as she walks toward the netherworld she speaks to her vizier, Ninshubur.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

   “Flicks is a large bar which has been in some conflict since it opened […] The nature of that conflict has been characterized as gay-straight, by the bar managers; as crazies-sane, by some residents; as predators-prey, by some bar patrons; and as "netherworld"-respectable, by some bureaucrats.”