stygian
UK: ˈstɪdʒiən | US: ˈstɪdʒiən
adj. extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding
adj. relating to the River Styx in Greek mythology
The word "stygian" derives from the Latin "Stygius," which in turn comes from the Greek "Styx," the name of the mythical river forming the boundary between Earth and the Underworld. The River Styx was associated with darkness, oaths, and the divine, lending "stygian" its connotations of gloom and dread. The suffix "-ian" (from Latin "-ianus") denotes relation, forming an adjective meaning "pertaining to the Styx." Over time, the term expanded beyond mythology to describe anything unnaturally dark or ominous.
The cave's stygian depths unnerved even the bravest explorers.
His paintings often feature stygian landscapes shrouded in mist.
The novel describes a stygian abyss where lost souls wander.
The storm clouds cast a stygian pall over the city.
In mythology, gods swore binding oaths by the stygian waters.