infernalism

noun

Etymology

From infernal + -ism. First attested in 1795, popularised in the theological sense in the 2000s–10s.

  1. derived from infernalis
  2. borrowed from infernal
  3. formed as infernalism — “infernal + -ism

Definitions

  1. Belief in the existence of hell, especially as a place of eternal and conscious torment…

    Belief in the existence of hell, especially as a place of eternal and conscious torment after death.

    • Embedded within his argument is the view that infernalism is a less severe form of retributive punishment than annihilationism; […]
  2. Hellishness.

    • It is because worship has been slavishly bestowed on the personification of the worst of the human qualities magnified to infernalism, that it has been considered a degrading, or at least a pusilanimous thing […]
    • Paternalism has no terrors for me; indeed, I much prefer paternalism any time, in any form, and anywhere to infernalism in the way of bad roads.
  3. An infernal thing or act.

    • Is not the State an infernal institution? Why expect from it, then, anything but infernalisms?
    • To me the long catalogue of matrimonial infernalisms has no significance other than that of congratulation at my escape from such loving woes.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for infernalism. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA