Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

cthulhu

/kəˈθuːlu/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 2.75 in modern English

Syllables: cthul-hu
IPA: /kəˈθuːlu/

15

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

2

Syllables

5

Unique Chars

Meaning

name

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.

Example Sentences

"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."

Etymology

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

Inflected Forms

Ktulu (alternative) Kutulu (alternative)

Derived Forms

Cthulhuesque Cthulhian Cthulhic

Frequently Paired Words

Lovecraftian

Rhymes With

honolulu lulu delulu

Questions

How do you pronounce cthulhu?: The recorded pronunciation is /kəˈθuːlu/.
What does cthulhu mean?: 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.
Where does cthulhu come from?: Invented in 1926 by H.P. Lovecraft for his short story The Call of Cthulhu. Possibly based on chthonic (“dwelling under the earth”).

How to pronounce cthulhu

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “cthulhu”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kəˈθuːlu/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “cthulhu”.
Repeat and practice — Say “cthulhu” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.