Hellbroth

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A harmful or toxic concoction formed by combining dangerous elements into one mixture
2. A mixture that is highly dangerous or potentially fatal due to its poisonous components
3. An extremely harmful substance made by blending toxic or perilous ingredients together

Etymology: "Hellbroth" is a plain compound: "hell" joined to "broth," the word for a thin liquid soup or stock. The pairing is a kind of joke that turns a cosy kitchen dish into something infernal, with a mixture so dangerous it could only be cooked up in the underworld. Broth itself is an old Germanic word, related to "brew," and has long meant a liquid in which meat or vegetables have been boiled. Hell, of course, supplies the sinister half, so the compound describes a brew fit for demons. The meaning stays literal: a poisonous concoction stirred together for harm, the sort of thing a witch might have simmering in a cauldron.