Chthonic
Chthonic (/ˈθɒnɪk/ or /ˈkθɒnɪk/, from Greek χθόνιος
khthonios, "in, under, or beneath the earth", from χθών
khthōn "earth"), apart from its literal translation meaning 'subterranean', its historical or interpretive definition designates, or pertains to, deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in relation to Greek religion. The Greek word
khthon is one of several for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather than the living surface of the land (as
Gaia or
Ge does) or the land as territory (as
khora (χώρα) does). It evokes at once abundance and the grave. Some dictionaries, such as the OED, state that the first two letters should be pronounced (as /k/), /ˈkθɒnɪk/, while others, such as the AHD, record these letters as silent, /ˈθɒnɪk/. The modern pronunciation of the Greek word "χθόνιος" is, although the Classical Greek pronunciation would have been.