chthonian
Americanadjective
adjective
Etymology
Origin of chthonian
First recorded in 1840–50; from Greek chthóni(os) ( chthon-, stem of chthṓn “earth” + -ios adjective suffix) + -an; akin to Latin humus “earth” ( humus )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Shivaree, chthonian, erumpent, tintinnabulation, exonumia, requiescat, deipnosophist, omphaloskepsis, horripilation, deliquesce, apopemptic.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 26, 2021
Director Donskoi's cartoon-capitalists are often fun to look at, if impossible to take seriously, and even moviegoers who cannot believe in Marxist fairy tales will feel the chthonian power of Donskoi's images.
From Time Magazine Archive
In earth's womb the old gods stir, Fierce chthonian dieties of old time.
From Eight Harvard Poets by Cummings, E. Estlin
As a chthonian power, she is worshipped at the Samothracian mysteries, and is closely connected with Demeter.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 2 "Hearing" to "Helmond" by Various
But even in Greece we must remember the gloomy chthonian rites, and the degradations of Orphism mentioned by Plato in the Republic.
From The Legacy of Greece Essays By: Gilbert Murray, W. R. Inge, J. Burnet, Sir T. L. Heath, D'arcy W. Thompson, Charles Singer, R. W. Livingston, A. Toynbee, A. E. Zimmern, Percy Gardner, Sir Reginald Blomfield by Livingstone, R.W.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
