ctonio

Borrowed from Latin chthonius, from Ancient Greek χθόνιος (khthónios, “in or under the ground”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈktɔ.njo/, [ˈkt̪ɔːn̺jo]
• Hyphenation: ctò‧nio

ctonio (feminine singular ctonia, masculine plural ctoni, feminine plural ctonie)

1. (archaic, literary) underworldly, chthonian, chthonic

   Synonyms: infero, ipogeo

   • 2009, Daniele Luttazzi, “La guerra civile fredda”, in La guerra civile fredda [Cold Civil War] (paperback), 2nd edition, Feltrinelli, Come stanno davvero le cose [How Things Really Are], page 90:

     Nelle pitture pompeiane, Iside poggia il piede nudo sul serpente in quanto regina delle forze ctonie. La Madonna viene raffigurata allo stesso modo.

     In Pompeiian depictions, Isis steps on the snake with her bare foot as queen of the underworldly forces. The Virgin Mary is depicted in the same way.