limbo Hear it!

limbo1 definition

limbo (lim′bō)

noun pl. limbos -·bos

  1. in some Christian theologies, the eternal abode or state, neither heaven nor hell, of the souls of infants or others dying in original sin but free of grievous personal sin, or, before the coming of Christ, the temporary abode or state of all holy souls after death
  2. any intermediate, indeterminate state
  3. a place or condition of confinement, neglect, or oblivion

Etymology: ME < L, abl. of limbus, edge, border (in in limbo, in or on the border) < IE *(s)lemb-, to hand down: see limp

limbo2 definition

limbo (lim′bō)

noun pl. limbos -·bos

a dance, originated in the West Indies, in which the dancers bend from the knees as far back as possible to pass beneath a bar that is put lower and lower

Etymology: prob. altered < limber

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.