Cthulhu

English

Cthulhu as drawn by Lovecraft (1934)

Alternative forms

Etymology

Invented in 1926 by H.P. Lovecraft for his short story The Call of Cthulhu. Possibly based on chthonic (dwelling under the earth).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): (widely used spelling pronunciation) /kəˈθuːluː/, /kəˈtuːluː/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -uːlu, -uː

Usage notes

  • Lovecraft used various approximations of what he imagined as a name not pronounceable by humans, none of which he described clearly.

Proper noun

Cthulhu

  1. A gigantic fictional humanoid alien god being described with a head resembling an octopus and dragon wings and claws, around whom an insane cult developed.
    • 1928, H.P. Lovecraft, The Call of Cthulhu:
      Then, bolder than the storied Cyclops, great Cthulhu slid greasily into the water and began to pursue with vast wave-raising strokes of cosmic potency.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Further reading

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