adj
chthonian
Chthonian (adj) means belonging to the underworld; lying beneath the ground.
adj
1
Belonging to the underworld; lying beneath the ground.
"Even an “Olympian” deity such as Athena Polias at Athens may have chthonian features, such as her association with the snake, a creature symbolic of the earth."
— Jennifer Lynn Larson, Ancient Greek Cults: A Guide (2007)
"For example, the Oresteia, 'that treasure house of chthonian concepts' (Scullion 1994: 111), categorizes gods in ways that do not match the rigid terms of the foundational scholarship on Olympian versus chthonian deities."
— Susan Deacy, Gods—Olympian or Chthonic (2015)
"The Olympian religion is truly Olympian when it rests on Chthonian grounds, and the Chthonian religion is truly Chthonian when it stands in the Olympian light."
— Vincent Vycinas, Earth and Gods: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Martin Heidegger (1969)
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like chthonian.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
Comes from Ancient Greek χθόνιος (khthónios, “in or under the ground”), from χθών (khthṓn, “ground”).
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for chthonian
See all rhymes for chthonian →Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of chthonian?
"chthonian" (adj) means belonging to the underworld; lying beneath the ground.
What is another word for chthonian?
Other words for "chthonian" include nether, chthonic.
