Avernus: Meaning and Definition of

A•ver•nus

Pronunciation: (u-vûr'nus), [key]
— n.
  1. a lake near Naples, Italy, looked upon in ancient times as an entrance to hell, from whose waters vile-smelling vapors arose, supposedly killing birds flying over it.
  2. hell.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.