chthonian (THŌ-nē-ən)

Definition

(Adjective) Dwelling in or beneath the surface of the earth.

In Context

“‘Chthonian’ is derived from the Greek for ‘earth,’ and the adjective was generally associated with the mythological underworld and its shadowy deities, the darker counterparts of the Olympians.”

Joseph R. Millichap, A Backward Glance: The Southern Renascence, the Autobiographical Epic, and the Classical Legacy, 2009.

This word was suggested by Jeff Bergman in the Office of Human Resources.