Lovecraftian

English

WOTD – 26 May 2006

Etymology

Lovecraft +‎ -ian, from H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937), an American author of fantasy, horror, and science fiction, noted for combining these three genres within single narratives.

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /lʌvˈkɹæfti.ən/
Audio (US) (file)

Adjective

Lovecraftian (comparative more Lovecraftian, superlative most Lovecraftian)

Frighteningly monstrous and otherworldly, sometimes with terrifyingly unnatural anatomy.
- 1984, Dean R. Koontz, Darkfall, page 362:
  The tip of the thing was equipped with long whiplike appendages that writhed around a loose, drooling, toothless mouth large enough to swallow a man whole...Perhaps this was the only thing that the escaping Lovecraftian entity had thus far been able to extrude between the opening Gates — this one finger.
Of, pertaining to, or emulating the style or works of author H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937).
Lovecraftian horror
Lovecraftian fiction
- 2006 — A. Blackwood, August Derleth, The Ithaqua Cycle, page 102
  The present story, "Born of the Winds", is one of the best. For one thing, the vision of the story is pure Lovecraftian cosmic pessimism.
- 2007 September 23, David Bowman, “Torchlit Crit”, in The New York Times‎, ISSN 0362-4331:
  That abandonment, incidentally, compelled Sam’s mother to fill her young son’s head with H. P. Lovecraftian horror-style lies about the interior of Emily Dickinson’s house, lies that motivated her son’s break-in to begin with.

Translations

of, pertaining to, or emulating the style or works of author H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937)