Avernus

== English == === Etymology === From Latin Avernus, from Ancient Greek ἄορνος (áornos), ἄϝορνος (áwornos, “birdless”), from ἀ- (a-, “without”) + ὄρνις (órnis, “bird”). The lack of birds was likely due to fatal gases like carbon dioxide seeping from the volcanically active lake. === Proper noun === Avernus The entrance to Hell or the underworld, or the underworld itself. A lake in Southern Italy. ==== Translations ==== == Latin == === Etymology === Ancient Greek ἄορνος (áornos), ἄϝορνος (áwornos, “birdless”), from ἀ- (a-, “without”) + ὄρνις (órnis, “bird”). The lack of birds was likely due to fatal gases like carbon dioxide seeping from the volcanically active lake. === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [aˈwɛr.nʊs] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [aˈvɛr.nus] === Proper noun === Avernus m sg (genitive Avernī); second declension Avernus (lake in Southern Italy) The underworld ==== Declension ==== Second-declension noun, with locative, singular only. ==== Derived terms ==== Avernālis ==== Descendants ==== === References === “Avernus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press “Avernus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers “Avernus”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.