Acheron

See also: Achéron

English

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin Acherōn, from Ancient Greek Ἀχέρων (Akhérōn), probably Pre-Greek but folk-etymologically said to be from ἄχος (ákhos, “pain, distress”) +‎ ῥέον (rhéon, “stream”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ.kəɹ.ən/, /ˈæ.kəɹ.ɔn/

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

  • Audio (Southern England)

    (file)

Proper noun

Acheron

1. (Greek mythology) A river in the infernal regions; also, the infernal regions themselves. By some of the English poets, it was supposed to be a flaming lake or gulf.
   • c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:

     And pull her out of Acheron by the heels

   • 1807, [Germaine] de Staël Holstein, translated by D[ennis] Lawler, “[[Book XIII. Vesuvius and the plain of Naples.] Chap[ter] IV.] The extempore effusion of Corinna on the Plain of Naples.”, in Corinna; or, Italy. […], volume III, London: […] Corri, […]; and sold by Colburn, […], and Mackenzie, […], →OCLC, page 234:

     Acheron and Phlegeton, which a subterraneous fire causes to boil, are the billows of that hell which was visited by Æneas.

   • 2009, Behemoth, The Seed ov I:

     Behold! I rise from primal silence / As a storm crushing dismal shores ov Acheron

2. (literary) Hell

Coordinate terms

• Cocytus, Eridanos, Lethe, Phlegethon, Styx

Related terms

• Acherontic

Translations

a river

• Armenian: Աքերոն (hy) (Akʻeron)
• Basque: Akeronte
• Bulgarian: Ахерон m (Aheron)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 阿刻戎 (Ākèróng)

• Esperanto: Akerono, Aĥerono
• Etruscan: 𐌀𐌗𐌓𐌖𐌌 (axrum)
• Finnish: Akheron
• French: Achéron (fr) m
• Georgian: აქერონტი (akeronṭi)
• Greek: Αχέρων (el) m (Achéron), Αχέροντας (el) m (Achérontas)

  Ancient: Ἀχέρων m (Akhérōn)

• Italian: Acheronte m
• Japanese: アケローン (Akerōn)
• Korean: 아케론강 (Akeron'gang)
• Latin: Acherōn (la) m
• Occitan: Aqueront
• Persian: آخرون (âxerun)
• Portuguese: Aqueronte m
• Romanian: Aheron
• Russian: Ахеро́н (ru) m (Axerón)
• Spanish: Aqueronte m, Aquerón m
• Ukrainian: Ахеро́нт (Axerónt)

Etymology 2

Proper noun

Acheron

1. A language of Sudan.

Alternative forms

• Asheron

Anagrams

• archeon

Latin

Alternative forms

• Acheros, Acherūns

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Ἀχέρων (Akhérōn), from ὁ ἄχεα ῥέων (ho ákhea rhéōn, “the stream of woe”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈa.kʰe.roːn/, [ˈäkʰɛroːn]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈa.ke.ron/, [ˈäːkeron]

Proper noun

Acherōn m sg (genitive Acherontis); third declension

1. Acheron, a river in the underworld
2. The underworld

Declension

Third-declension noun, singular only.

Case	Singular
Nominative	Acherōn
Genitive	Acherontis
Dative	Acherontī
Accusative	Acherontem
Ablative	Acheronte
Vocative	Acherōn

Derived terms

• acheronensis
• acheronteus

Descendants

• English: Acheron
• French: Achéron
• Italian: Acheronte
• Portuguese: Aqueronte
• Spanish: Aqueronte

References

• “Acheron”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “Acheron”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• Acheron in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.