French Conversation · Level 107
58 words
French word
infernal
Pronunciation
IPA/ɛ̃fɛʁnal/
Meaning
- adjectivehellish
Example
Cette chaleur est infernale.
This heat is hellish.
More examples
Il ressent une douleur infernale après la blessure.
He feels excruciating pain after the injury.
Core concept
A dark, overwhelming pressure that makes an experience feel impossible to endure.
Common phrases
chaleur infernale
unbearable heat
douleur infernale
excruciating pain
Similar words
terrible: Extremely bad and likely to leave an unpleasant or distressing impression.
horrible: So frightening and unpleasant that it causes a feeling of horror.
atroce: Involving unbearable pain or extreme misery.
Definition in French
Relatif à l'enfer ; au sens figuré, qualifie quelque chose d'extrêmement pénible, insupportable ou terrifiant.
Word origin
The adjective derives from Latin infernalis through French, with infernus referring to the world beneath or the underworld.
Usage tips
- In figurative use, infernal strongly emphasizes discomfort or fear and need not refer literally to religious ideas.
Other meanings
- awfuladjective
- unbearableadjective
- terrifyingadjective
Opposites
- célesteheavenlyadjective
- paradisiaqueparadisiacaladjective