1 stygian | Definition of stygian
Logo
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

stygian

adjective, often capitalized
sty·​gian | \ ˈsti-j(Ä“-)É™n How to pronounce stygian (audio) \

Definition of stygian

1 : of or relating to the river Styx
2 : extremely dark, gloomy, or forbidding the stygian blackness of the cave
Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about stygian

Keep scrolling for more

Did You Know?

Stygian comes to us (by way of Latin stygius and Greek stygios) from Styx, the name of the principal river in Hades, the underworld of the dead in Greek mythology. This is the river over which Charon the boatman was said to ferry the spirits of the dead; the Greeks and Romans would place a coin in the mouth or hand of the deceased to serve as fare. It is also the river by which the gods swore their most binding oaths, according to the epics of Homer. English speakers have been using stygian to mean "of or relating to the river Styx" since the early 16th century. From there the meaning broadened to describe things that are as dark, dreary, and menacing as one might imagine Hades and the river Styx to be.

Examples of stygian in a Sentence

lost in the stygian reaches of the deep forest

Recent Examples on the Web

 When his tiny friend Trinket devises a scheme for their escape from the orphanage, Arthur embarks on a quest through a wild wood and into the stygian corridors of a subterranean city to solve the mystery of his origins. — Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, "The Best New Children’s Books," 29 Sep. 2017 After a five-minute ride through the stygian darkness, the barge eases up to a low dock. — Wayne Curtis, WIRED, "One Man’s Quest to Make 20-Year-Old Rum in Just Six Days," 30 May 2017 There, Levi conjured a Stygian exoplanet of glissandos and microtones and processed percussive sounds, evoking the truly alien better than the most lavish special effects ever could have done. — Adam Davidson, The New Yorker, "Mica Levi’s Intensely Unconventional Film Scores," 23 Feb. 2017 Far from being cruel and Stygian, the bog had a textural beauty, its atmosphere, like its fickle microclimate, changing with the wind. — Henry Wismayer, New York Times, "Letter of Recommendation: Bogs," 16 Nov. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stygian.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

See More

First Known Use of stygian

1513, in the meaning defined at sense 1

History and Etymology for stygian

Latin stygius, from Greek stygios, from Styg-, Styx Styx

Keep scrolling for more

More from Merriam-Webster on stygian

Rhyming Dictionary: Words that rhyme with stygian

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stygian

WORD OF THE DAY

See Definitions and Examples

Get Word of the Day daily email!