1. relating to or dwelling in the underworld or beneath the earth
Usage: mythology; literary
2. relating to the earth or soil
Usage: formal; literary

Examples

• The ancient Greeks believed in chthonian deities who ruled the underworld.
• Hades was considered the most powerful of the chthonian gods.
• The poem described chthonian forces rising from deep within the earth.
• Archaeological evidence revealed chthonian burial practices in the ancient civilization.
• The novelist’s chthonian imagery evoked a sense of darkness and mystery.
• Chthonian spirits were thought to influence the fertility of crops.