Dantean

adjective

Dan·​te·​an ˈdan-tē-ən  ˈdän- 

: of, relating to, or suggestive of Dante or his writings

especially : having a hellish or bizarre quality

refugees lived a Dantean existence

—A. E. Cowdrey

Examples of Dantean in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Remember the biblical storm that swept Texas in February 2021, shutting down the state’s utility grid, plunging millions of residents into Dantean cold and dark for days, and leaving at least 246 people dead? —Will Swaim, National Review, 2 Apr. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined above