underworld
UK: ˈʌndəwɜːld | US: ˈʌndərwɜːrld
n. 1. The mythical realm of the dead; Hades or Hell in various traditions.
n. 2. The criminal underworld; a hidden society engaged in illegal activities.
n. 3. (Archaeology) A layer of earth or strata beneath the surface.
The word "underworld" combines "under" (Old English under, meaning "beneath") and "world" (Old English weorold, meaning "age of man" or "realm"). Originally, it referred to the subterranean realm of the dead in mythology (e.g., Greek Hades). By the 19th century, it metaphorically extended to describe hidden criminal networks, reflecting the idea of a shadowy, subterranean society operating beneath the surface of lawful civilization.
In Greek mythology, souls journeyed to the underworld after death.
The police infiltrated the city's underworld to dismantle the drug ring.
Archaeologists discovered artifacts in the underworld of the ancient ruins.
Legends speak of a ruler who governs the underworld with absolute power.
The novel explores the moral conflicts of characters trapped in the criminal underworld.