Cthulhu

English

Alternative forms

• Ktulu
• Kutulu

Etymology

Invented in 1926 by H.P. Lovecraft for his short story The Call of Cthulhu. Possibly based on chthonic.

Pronunciation

• Lovecraft used various approximations of what he imagined as a name not pronounceable by humans, none of which he described clearly. IPA^(key): /kəˈθuːluː/ is the most widely used spelling pronunciation. /kəˈtuːluː/ is also used.
• Rhymes: -uːlu, -uː

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.
   • 1926 — 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

• Cthulhuesque
• Cthulhian
• Cthulhic

Translations

a huge fictional humanoid alien god

• Chinese: 克蘇魯／克苏鲁 (kèsūlǔ)
• French: Cthulhu (fr) m
• Greek: Κθούλου (Kthoúlou)
• Hebrew: קת'ולהו
• Irish: Cuitiliú m
• Japanese: クトゥルフ (Kuturufu)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Korean: 크툴후 (Keuturhu)
• Marathi: क्थूलू m (kthūlū)
• Russian: Кту́лху (ru) (Ktúlxu)
• Thai: คธูลู

See also

• Lovecraftian