inferno

noun

in·​fer·​no in-ˈfər-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce inferno (audio)
plural infernos
: a place or a state that resembles or suggests hell
the inferno of war
also : an intense fire : conflagration
a raging inferno

Examples of inferno in a Sentence

By the time help arrived, the fire had grown to a raging inferno. the intense heat of the raging inferno repeatedly drove back the firefighters
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In Nickel Boys, the inferno is called the Nickel Academy and the story zooms in on a friendship between two young men, studious and hopeful Elwood, played by Ethan Herisse, and Brandon Wilson’s more cynical Turner. Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 27 Sep. 2024 This is important because any sort of flaw in a battery could lead to an inferno, says Venkat Srinivasan, who studies batteries and directs the Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science at the US’s Argonne National Laboratory. Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 15 Sep. 2024 Since then, things are … different: That burn has become an inferno in the form of 68 million streams per week, star-making appearances at Coachella and on Jimmy Fallon, and a Lollapalooza performance that may well have drawn a record-setting crowd. Charlie Harding, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2024 Fortunately, firefighters were gaining an edge over the infernos as temperatures dropped. Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 19 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for inferno 

Word History

Etymology

Italian, hell, from Late Latin infernus

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inferno was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near inferno

Cite this Entry

“Inferno.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inferno. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

inferno

noun
in·​fer·​no in-ˈfər-nō How to pronounce inferno (audio)
plural infernos
: a place or state that resembles or suggests hell especially in great heat or raging fire
Etymology

from Italian inferno "underworld, hell," from Latin infernus (same meaning), from earlier infernus (adjective) "lying beneath, in the lower regions"

More from Merriam-Webster on inferno

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!