netherworld
pronoun
Definitions
The place to which one's spirit descends upon death, conceived as below the surface of the earth.
Example: In some religions, one's soul departs to a netherworld, hell, instead of the heavens.
The locale of the spirit world or afterlife, whether deemed to be situated below the world of the living or not.
Example: While I was astrally projecting, I felt my soul pass through many insubstantial netherworlds.
Specifically, a location of punishment in the afterlife; a hell.
Example: The missionary was motivated by a sincere desire to rescue souls from eternal torment in the netherworld.
(by extension) A hidden, shadowy, or sinister subculture, such as that of organized crime.
Example: Richard had been initiated into the netherworld of dog racing by his father, and knew all the popular greyhound performance-enhancing drugs.