Hades

noun

Ha·​des ˈhā-(ˌ)dēz 

1

: the Greek god of the underworld

2

: the underground abode of the dead in Greek mythology

3

: sheol

4

often not capitalized : hell sense 1a

Did you know?

In Greek mythology, Hades is both the land of the dead and the god who rules there. Hades the god (who the Greeks also called Pluto) is the brother of Zeus and Poseidon, who rule the skies and the seas. The realm called Hades, where he rules with his wife Persephone, is the region under the earth, full of mineral wealth and fertility and home to dead souls. Hades today is sometimes used as a polite term for Hell ("It's hotter than Hades in here!").

Examples of Hades in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Netflix gaming is a nice add-on with surprisingly strong titles (Hades, Immortality), but Apple Arcade has cooler original titles (Cypher 007, Sneaky Sasquatch). —PCMAG, 4 Feb. 2025

The magic of Hades lies in playing it in short bursts, which pairs well with its roguelike structure on the Deck. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 1 Dec. 2024

Reprising their roles from the original Broadway cast for the London pro-shoot will be Reeve Carney as Orpheus, André De Shields as Hermes, Amber Gray as Persephone, Eva Noblezada as Eurydice and Patrick Page as Hades. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2025

And for Kansas City after New Year’s — and whatever fresh Hades awaits after that. —Sean Keeler, The Denver Post, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Greek Aidēs, Āidēs, Haidēs

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Kids Definition

hades

noun

ha·​des

ˈhād-(ˌ)ēz

: hell sense 1

Etymology

Greek Haidēs, god of the underworld, abode of the dead in Greek mythology