Netherworlds

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A realm existing beneath the surface of the earth, often associated with the afterlife or underworld in various mythologies
2. Locations believed to exist below the physical plane, often inhabited by souls or spirits after death in spiritual beliefs
3. Domains contrasting with the living world, typically seen as dwelling places for the dead or places of supernatural occurrences

Etymology: "Netherworlds" is simply the plural of "netherworld," a compound formed from "nether," meaning "beneath" or "lower," and "world." The first element goes back to Old English "neothera," meaning "lower" or "under," and it has relatives across the Germanic languages that all share this sense of something situated below. The second element traces back through Old English "weoruld" to a Proto-Germanic compound that literally meant something like "age of man" or "lifetime of man," so "world" originally referred to human existence in time rather than to the physical planet. Put together, "netherworld" means the lower world, the realm that lies beneath the visible earth. Because "world" once meant a span of human life, the plural "netherworlds" is best understood as several such lower realms, each a separate underground domain, rather than a single place seen from different angles.

Synonyms: underworlds, realms, hades