Limbo ( countable and uncountable, plural limbos or limboes) The noun is derived from Middle English limbo, lymbo ( “ place where innocent souls exist temporarily until they can enter heaven ” ), from Latin limbō, the ablative singular of limbus ( “ border, edge hem fringe, tassel ” ) (notably in expressions like in limbō ( “ in limbo ” ) and e limbō ( “ out of limbo ” )) further etymology uncertain, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *lemb- ( “ to hang limply or loosely ” ), from Proto-Indo-European *leb- ( “ to hang down loosely (?) ” ). ( General American ) IPA ( key): /ˈlɪmboʊ/.( Received Pronunciation ) IPA ( key): /ˈlɪmbəʊ/.
It depicts the harrowing of hell in which Jesus Christ (centre, in blue), between his death and resurrection, descends into limbo to free the souls of saints who predeceased him, including the penitent thief (left, with cross (possibly)), Adam (in red), King David (holding sceptre), Eve (right), and John the Baptist (background). WOTD – Pronunciation Domenico Beccafumi, Descent into Limbo ( c. 1530–1535 etymology 1, noun sense 1).