Cythera is a small Greek island, southeast of the Peloponnesus, and a legendary birthplace of the goddess Aphrodite (Venus).
[3] The term "Venusian" is etymologically messy[clarification needed] (similar to saying "Earthian" or "Jupiterian"), and a "cleaner" version was desired.
Since Venus has a Greek name, as well as a Roman one, this could be used; however, the adjectival form of Aphrodite, "Aphrodisian" /æfroʊˈdɪziən/,[4] was felt to be unfortunately similar to "aphrodisiac", again evoking sex rather than astronomy.
In Greek mythology, the goddess Aphrodite was said to have been born from the sea, from which she emerged on a seashell at the island of Cythera; thus she was sometimes referred to as Cytherēa.
[7] In addition, the word "Cytherean" as an adjective referring to Venus is often found in science fiction of the early and mid-20th century.