Chthonic
/ˈkθɒn.ɪk/noun
Relating to the underworld or the gods and powers of the earth.
Did you know?In Greek religion, chthonic powers were often honored with darker, earth-facing rites, because the underworld was not just a place of death but a realm of buried divine force.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dhghem-
“earth, ground”
Ancient Greek
Greek
χθών (khthṓn)
“earth, ground, soil; later the underworld beneath the earth”
Ancient Greek
Greek
χθόνιος (khthónios)
“of the earth; belonging to the underworld”
Late 19th Century
English
chthonic
“relating to the underworld or subterranean powers”
Modern English
English
chthonic
“relating to the underworld or the earth beneath the surface”