View synonyms for Stygian

Stygian

[ stij-ee-uhn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

Stygian

/ ˈstɪdʒɪən /

of or relating to the river Styx
literary.
1. dark, gloomy, or hellish
2. completely inviolable, as a vow sworn by the river Styx

Origin of Stygian¹

1560–70; < Latin Stygi ( us ) < Greek Stýgios ( Styg-, stem of Stýx Styx + -ios adj. suffix) + -an

Origin of Stygian¹

C16: from Latin Stygius, from Greek Stugios, from Stux Styx ; related to stugein to hate

A narrow loophole barely filtered through a pale ray of light into that semi-Stygian darkness.

It was not the sort of night we know on earth, but a Stygian blackness.

The night had become inky-black; the town was in a valley and the shadow of trees and houses made the darkness even more Stygian.

One of the Stygian vessels, the Despair, was sunk by the Hope.

Then the Stygian darkness of the great pines grew; and the silence of wonder fell on the two quarrellers.

April 23, 2024inveterate

[in-vet-er-it ]

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