Meanings
underworld1
noununderworld (plural underworlds)
plural underworlds
- human sciencesThe world of the dead, located underneath the world of the living; the afterlife.
In Hindu scriptures, the four-eyed dogs Śārvara and Śyāma guard the underworld's entrance.
Synonyms: netherworld, Hades, hell
- That part of society that is engaged in crime or vice, and particularly those involved in organized crime.
A disproportionate amount of local politicians have connections to the underworld.
- video gamesThe portion of a game that is set below ground.
In the underworld theme, low notes create a darker feeling that matches the cave setting. This song also creates a sense of continuity across early Mario games, since it's a remix of SMB1's original underworld theme.
2016, Alyse Knorr, Super Mario Bros. 3: Boss Fight Books #13Antonyms: overworld
Underworld2
nounUnderworld (plural Underworlds)
plural Underworlds
- Alternative letter-case form of underworld.
I know that the centre of this labyrinth is keyed to the Underworld, the Land of the Dead, but that's not my goal.
2006, Raven Kaldera, The Pathworker's Guide to the Nine Worlds, Asphodel Press, →ISBN, page 12 more examples
In Scandinavian mythology the dragon is the guardian of the Underworld on the Norse sacred tree, which is the realm of departed spirits, elementals, elves and faery folk ruled by the goddesses Hel and Freya.
1985, Michael Howard, The Wisdom of the Runes, Rider & Company, →ISBN, page 129At Imbolc, the goddess is transformed from her aged, winter aspect as the Hag, veiled in black, carrying her black rod of barreness as Hela, guardian of the mysteries of death and the Underworld.
2002, Nigel Pennick, Practical Magic in the Northern Tradition, Thoth Publications, →ISBN, page 36
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe world of the dead, located underneath the world of the living; the afterlife.
Similar
nounThe portion of a game that is set below ground.
Opposite
More synonyms by meaning
noun(religion) the world of the dead
Similar
Broader
imaginary placemythical placefictitious place
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁entér
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂én
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-?
- Proto-Indo-European*(H)n̥dʰí
- Proto-Indo-European*(H)n̥dʰér
- Proto-Germanic*under
- Proto-West Germanic*undar
- Old Englishunder-
- Middle Englishunder-
- Englishunder-
- Proto-Indo-European*weyh₁-?
- Proto-Indo-European*wiHrós
- Proto-Germanic*weraz
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂el-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂életi
- Proto-Germanic*alaną
- Proto-Germanic*aldiz
- Proto-Germanic*weraldiz
- Proto-West Germanic*weraldi
- Old Englishweorold
- Middle Englishworld
- Englishworld
- Englishunderworld
Translations
Afrikaans onderwêreld, doderyk
- onderwêreldworld of the dead
- doderykworld of the dead
- onderwêreldpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Arabic سِجِّين, عَالَم سُفْلِيّ
- سِجِّين (sijjīn)world of the dead
- عَالَم سُفْلِيّ (ʕālam sufliyy)world of the dead
Bulgarian подзе́мно ца́рство, подзе́мен свят
- подзе́мно ца́рство (podzémno cárstvo)world of the dead
- подзе́мен свят (podzémen svjat)world of the dead
- престъ́пен свят (prestắpen svjat)part of society engaged in crime or vice
Catalan avern, més enllà
- avernworld of the dead
- més enllàworld of the dead
- submónpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Chinese Cantonese 陰間 /阴间, 黑社會 /黑社会
- 陰間 /阴间 (jam¹ gaan¹)world of the dead
- 黑社會 /黑社会part of society engaged in crime or vice
Chinese Mandarin 地獄 /地狱, 地府
- 地獄 /地狱 (dìyù)world of the dead
- 地府 (dìfǔ)world of the dead
- 陰間 /阴间 (yīnjiān)world of the dead
- 黃泉 /黄泉 (huángquán)world of the dead
- 冥界 (míngjiè)world of the dead
- 冥府 (míngfǔ)world of the dead
- 黑社會 /黑社会 (hēishèhuì)part of society engaged in crime or vice
Czech podsvětí, podsvětí
- podsvětíworld of the dead
- podsvětípart of society engaged in crime or vice
Danish underverden, underverden
- underverdenworld of the dead
- underverdenpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Dutch onderwereld, schimmenrijk
- onderwereldworld of the dead
- schimmenrijkworld of the dead
- dodenrijkworld of the dead
- onderwereldpart of society engaged in crime or vice
- boevenwereldpart of society engaged in crime or vice
- misdaadwereldpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Esperanto submondo, gangstera mondo
- submondoworld of the dead
- gangstera mondopart of society engaged in crime or vice
Estonian allmaailm, manala
- allmaailmworld of the dead
- manalaworld of the dead
- toonelaworld of the dead
- allilmpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Finnish manala, tuonela
- manalaworld of the dead
- tuonelaworld of the dead
- alamaailmapart of society engaged in crime or vice
French au-delà, autre monde
- au-delàworld of the dead
- autre mondeworld of the dead
- Enfersworld of the dead
- pègrepart of society engaged in crime or vice
German Unterwelt, Reich des Todes
- Unterweltworld of the dead
- Reich des Todesworld of the dead
- Schattenreichworld of the dead
- Unterweltpart of society engaged in crime or vice
- Halbweltpart of society engaged in crime or vice
- Verbrecherweltpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Greek άδης, τάρταρα
- άδης (ádis)world of the dead
- τάρταρα (tártara)world of the dead
- υπόκοσμος (ypókosmos)part of society engaged in crime or vice
Hebrew שְׁאוֹל
- שְׁאוֹל (sh'ol)world of the dead
Hindi पाताल
- पाताल (pātāl)world of the dead
Hungarian alvilág, alvilág
- alvilágworld of the dead
- alvilágpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Icelandic undirheimar, undirheimar
- undirheimarworld of the dead
- undirheimarpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Irish an domhan thíos
- an domhan thíosworld of the dead
Italian inferi, oltretomba
- inferiworld of the dead
- oltretombaworld of the dead
- altro mondoworld of the dead
- malavitapart of society engaged in crime or vice
Japanese 黄泉, 地獄
- 黄泉world of the dead
- 地獄 (jigoku)world of the dead
- 冥界 (meikai)world of the dead
- 暗黒街 (ankokugai)part of society engaged in crime or vice
- 下層 (kasō)part of society engaged in crime or vice
Korean 명계, 저승
- 명계 (myeonggye)world of the dead
- 저승 (jeoseung)world of the dead
- 저세상 (jeosesang)world of the dead
- 암흑가 (amheukga)part of society engaged in crime or vice
Latin orcus, infera
- orcusworld of the dead
- inferaworld of the dead
Māori kengo, rarohenga
- kengoworld of the dead
- rarohengaworld of the dead
- pōworld of the dead
Norwegian Bokmål underverden, underverden
- underverdenworld of the dead
- underverdenpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Polish zaświaty, świat przestępczy
- zaświatyworld of the dead
- świat przestępczypart of society engaged in crime or vice
- półświatekpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Portuguese submundo, abismo
- submundoworld of the dead
- abismoworld of the dead
- submundopart of society engaged in crime or vice
Romanian lumea cealaltă, lume interlopă
- lumea cealaltăworld of the dead
- lume interlopăpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Russian преиспо́дняя, загро́бный мир
- преиспо́дняя (preispódnjaja)world of the dead
- загро́бный мир (zagróbnyj mir)world of the dead
- потусторо́нний мир (potustorónnij mir)world of the dead
- подзе́мный мир (podzémnyj mir)world of the dead
- подзе́мное ца́рство (podzémnoje cárstvo)world of the dead
- престу́пный мир (prestúpnyj mir)part of society engaged in crime or vice
- дно (dno)part of society engaged in crime or vice
Slovak podsvetie, podsvetie
- podsvetieworld of the dead
- podsvetiepart of society engaged in crime or vice
Spanish inframundo, más allá
- inframundoworld of the dead
- más alláworld of the dead
- inframundopart of society engaged in crime or vice
- submundopart of society engaged in crime or vice
- hampapart of society engaged in crime or vice
Swedish dödsrike, undre värld
- dödsrikeworld of the dead
- undre världpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Thai ยมโลก
- ยมโลก (yom-má-lôok)world of the dead
Ukrainian підзе́мний світ, злочи́нний світ
- підзе́мний світ (pidzémnyj svit)world of the dead
- злочи́нний світ (zločýnnyj svit)part of society engaged in crime or vice
Welsh isfyd, annwfn
- isfydworld of the dead
- annwfnworld of the dead
- annwnworld of the dead
- byd lladronpart of society engaged in crime or vice
- isfydpart of society engaged in crime or vice
Yiddish אונטערוועלט, בלאַטע
- אונטערוועלט (untervelt)part of society engaged in crime or vice
- בלאַטע (blate)part of society engaged in crime or vice
Cite this entry
APA
underworld. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underworld
MLA
“underworld.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underworld. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “underworld,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underworld.
Source: underworld on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.