different between enormous vs infernal

English

Etymology

From Latin ?normis. An assimilated form of ex- (“out of”) + norma (“rule, norm”) + -ous.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??n??(?)m?s/
• Rhymes: -??(?)m?s

Adjective

enormous (comparative more enormous, superlative most enormous)

1. (obsolete) Deviating from the norm; unusual, extraordinary.
   • , New York 2001, p.105:

     all shall be rather enforced than hindered, except they be dismembered, or grievously deformed, infirm, or visited with some enormous hereditary disease is body or mind […].

2. (obsolete) Exceedingly wicked; atrocious or outrageous.
   • 1872, James Pillsbury Lane, Historical Sketches of the First Congregational Church, Bristol, R.I., 1689-1872, page 61:

     Men would prove wolves and vipers; tigers and dragons mixt in one and the same person to each other. O bless God for this great gift of Princes and Judges to rule the wicked and enormous world and to sway the scepter of righteousness […]

   • 1898, Christianity in Earnest, for Church Extension and Saloon Suppression, page 7:

     Protestant Christian people are largely ignorant or indifferent to the wicked and enormous religious claims of Romanism. As a so-called religious organization, Romanism is not only the foe of Protestantism, but […]

3. Extremely large; greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc.

Synonyms

• massive
• huge
• gigantic
• humongous
• abnormal
• tremendous
• See also Thesaurus:gigantic

Translations

Anagrams

• nemorous

English

Etymology

From Middle French infernal, from Medieval Latin infernalis, from Latin ?nfernus, from ?nferum (“netherworld, underworld, hell”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?n?f??(?)n?l/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?n?f??n?l/
• Rhymes: -??(?)n?l

Adjective

infernal (comparative more infernal, superlative most infernal)

1. Of or relating to hell, or the world of the dead; hellish.
2. (by extension) Of or relating to a fire or inferno.
3. Stygian, gloomy.
4. Diabolical or fiendish.

   • Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile

     Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd

     The Mother of Mankind

   • the instruments or abettors in such infernal dealings

5. (as an expletive, not vulgar) Very annoying; damned.
   • 1905, Bram Stoker, The Man

     As I had to put up with the patronage and the lecturings, and the eyeglass of that infernal old woman, […]

Antonyms

• (of or relating to hell): heavenly
• (of or relating to hell, underworld or fire): celestial

Related terms

• infernal device
• infernally
• infernal machine
• inferno

Translations

Noun

infernal (plural infernals)

1. (obsolete) An inhabitant of the infernal regions.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Drayton to this entry?)

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin infern?lis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.f??.nal/

Adjective

infernal (feminine singular infernale, masculine plural infernaux, feminine plural infernales)

1. infernal (relating to hell)
2. (figuratively) infernal, hellish, awful, terrible

Related terms

• enfer

Further reading

• “infernal” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Old French

Etymology

From Latin infern?lis

Adjective

infernal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular infernale)

1. infernal (relating to hell)

Declension

Descendants

• English: infernal
• French: infernal
• Norman: înfèrna

Portuguese

Adjective

infernal m or f (plural infernais, comparable)

1. (Christianity) hellish; infernal (from or relating to hell)
2. diabolical; evil; infernal

   Synonyms: mau, diabólico, maldoso

Related terms

• inferno

Romanian

Etymology

From French infernal, from Latin infernalis.

Adjective

infernal m or n (feminine singular infernal?, masculine plural infernali, feminine and neuter plural infernale)

1. infernal

Declension

Spanish

Etymology

From Latin infernalis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /infe??nal/, [??.fe??nal]

Adjective

infernal (plural infernales)

1. (relational) hell; infernal (of or relating to hell)
2. infernal, hellish (diabolical, fiendish)
3. infernal, hellish, hellacious, hell of (very annoying, damned)

Related terms

• infierno

Further reading

• “infernal” in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014.