Underworld
/ˈʌndərwɜːrld/noun
The world beneath the surface of the earth, often associated with the dead or the realm of the afterlife.
Did you know?In many ancient cultures, the Underworld was not just a place of torment but also a realm of transformation and rebirth, integral to the cycle of life and death.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*n̥dʰer
“beneath, below”
Old English
Old English
underweald
“the world below or beneath”
Middle English
Middle English
underworld
“the lower world, often referring to the realm of the dead”
16th Century
English
underworld
“the mythical or spiritual realm of the dead, representing darkness and mystery”