Monday word: chthonic

[ersatz-read.livejournal.com]

chthonic (thŏn′ĭk), adj.
Of or relating to the underworld.

Note the pronunciation: the 'ch' is silent.

Etymology:  from Greek khthonios, of the earth

Persephone is a a vegetation goddess as well as a chthonic goddess.
I believe this word was on my mind because I just put santa-thulhu (with his Adipose sidekick) on display for the season.

Comments

[prettygoodword.livejournal.com]

I usually manage to get a little bit of a /k/ sound in front of the /th/ -- is that actively wrong in English?

[ersatz-read.livejournal.com]

That's how I've always pronounced it too, but the dictionaries I was looking at said otherwise.
But...it looks like Wikipedia says the /k/ in front is British, and without it is American.
But I'm American. But, I also probably decided on my own how to pronounce the word; I mostly saw it in books, rather than hearing it in conversation.