# What does Chernobyl mean? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 3, 2000, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817 "2000-09-03T00:09:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/41 "2012-11-22T14:03:01Z")
It’s been revived at last counting times. This thread really does refuse to die. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/42 "2012-11-22T14:05:06Z")
> [@Revbanks](#): > > … although I feel his policies are greasing the pole.) I’m going to use the phrase “greasing the antichrist’s pole” for anything nefarious from now on. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/43 "2012-11-22T14:23:33Z")
> [@Alka\_Seltzer](#): > > I’m going to use the phrase “greasing the antichrist’s pole” for anything nefarious from now on. I used a variation of the line last night. Alas, I went home alone. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/44 "2012-11-22T14:44:10Z")
Ignoring Jesus and friends for a minute and getting back to the OP, I can’t believe that in twelve years nobody has looked in a dictionary. “чорнобиль, _m. Bot._ wolf’s-bane, monk’s-hood, artemisia” “полин” or “полинь, _m. Bot._ wormwood.” Wolfsbane and monkshood are aconite (_aconitum_); _artemesia_ is the genus including wormwood. I’m guessing this is _чорно-_ “black” + _било_ “stem, stalk”. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/45 "2012-11-22T15:08:28Z")
> [@Revbanks](#): > > It would appear from the consensus of answers here that there is a Chernobyl/Polnik/apsinthos/wormwood connection. There’s a connection, but only in the Kevin Bacon sense. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/46 "2012-11-22T15:47:36Z")
Personally, I’m grateful to **Revbanks’s** contribution for introducing me to the term “preaches good”. I’ll be using that extensively as the context permits! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/47 "2012-11-22T16:55:27Z")
> [@Revbanks](#): > > (And no, Barack Obama is not the antichrist either, although I feel his policies are greasing the pole.) [Moderator Note] **Revbanks** , political remarks of this kind are not permitted in General Questions. Much of the rest of your post would be more appropriate for our Great Debates forum than this one. Please keep this in mind in the future. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/48 "2012-11-22T17:36:58Z")
> [@Revbanks](#): > > something that will yet occur during the prophetic “70th week” (7 years) of the book of Daniel. 70 weeks = 7 years? How does that work in the literal sense? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/49 "2012-11-22T18:07:22Z")
_Hamlet_ III, 2, 166: PLAYER QUEEN     Oh, confound the rest! Such love must needs be treason in my breast. In second husband let me be accursed! None wed the second but who killed the first. HAMLET (aside)Wormwood, wormwood. Reminds me, obligatory: _Ulysses_, Circe \*\* SHAKESPEARE (With paralytic rage.) Weda seca whokilla farst. ---
**Author:** ![Revbanks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/58f4c7/32.png) [@Revbanks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revbanks)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/50 "2012-11-22T19:09:01Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > 70 weeks = 7 years? How does that work in the literal sense? Dan. 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy. The phrase “seventy weeks” literally means “seventy sevens” (Hebrew: for “week” is shabuwa‘, seven). The prophetic “70th week” refers to the 70 “weeks of years” as referred to in prophetic terms. A “week” in Daniels prophecy (Dan 9:24) represented 7 years rather than 7 days, and the 70th week ties into the fulfillment of the 7 year tribulation in Revelation. Too deep for here and I apologize for commenting in the wrong forum. As a “newbie” my mistake. Also, please forgive the poor choice of example with reference to the “greased pole”. Of course I didn’t intend any phallic references, or political diatribes. Thx all for keep this thread classy not trashy. God bless all who search for truth! Respectfully… ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/51 "2012-11-22T20:52:36Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Ignoring Jesus and friends for a minute and getting back to the OP, I can’t believe that in twelve years nobody has looked in a dictionary. > > “чорнобиль, _m. Bot._ wolf’s-bane, monk’s-hood, artemisia” > “полин” or “полинь, _m. Bot._ wormwood.” > > Wolfsbane and monkshood are aconite (_aconitum_); _artemesia_ is the genus including wormwood. I’m guessing this is _чорно-_ “black” + _било_ “stem, stalk”. How about чорно-білий (chorno-bilij), meaning something like pied, splotchy, patchy in color? Granted, this comes from someone with zero knowledge of the Ukrainian language… ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/52 "2012-11-22T20:58:45Z")
OK, [wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chernobyl_(city)#Name_origin) actually lists ‘wormwood’ as the origin for the name of the city of Chernobyl… ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/53 "2012-11-22T21:51:08Z")
Hmmmm. Would any moderating in this thread be a modified form of the Eiger Sanction? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/54 "2012-11-22T21:53:21Z")
I dunno, but if it gets more convoluted and incomprehensible, it’s in danger of becoming an Osterman Weekend. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2012, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817/55 "2012-11-24T01:24:55Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > 70 weeks = 7 years? How does that work in the literal sense? > [@Revbanks](#): > > A “week” in Daniels prophecy (Dan 9:24) represented 7 years rather than 7 days, and the 70th week ties into the fulfillment of the 7 year tribulation in Revelation. So, NOT literally. Absolutely specifically the opposite meaning from “literally.” I don’t understand how one can claim something is _literal_ truth and at the same time explain it is allegorical symbolism “representing” something else. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-does-chernobyl-mean/31817.md?page=2)