1655: Hell is Other Words Jun 26, 2019

The word 'Hell' is an old word, related to 'color', and sharing its name with a goddess and place in Norse mythology. Indeed, not only is there a connection to Germanic mythology, many Germanic languages used the older form that became 'Hell' and took on a different meaning. In Old English alone, the word was used in compounds like 'helle-rúne' meaning 'sorcery' which later developed into 'rune' like the writing system, and 'helle-wíte' meaning 'torment' (literally 'understanding Hell') is theorized to be the source of 'witch'.

To read more about a possible Egyptian influence on 'Satan', you can check that out on the Word Facts Patreon here.