English

Noun

Terrestrial ‎(plural Terrestrials)

1. An inhabitant of the planet Earth.
   • 1873, Proctor, Richard Anthony, The Expanse of Heaven, page 235:

     It will be manifest that natural scenery must present many beautiful varieties of effect altogether unfamiliar to us terrestrials, who know of no colours in scenery except those inherent in the objects themselves which form the landscape.

   • 1925, Gernsback, Hugo, Ralph 124C 41+, page 41:

     The other was not a Terrestrial, but a visiting Martian.

   • 1950 Fall, Anderson, Poul, “Star Ship”, in Planet Stories, volume 4, number 8, page 74:

     There'd been Earthling girls; and not a few Khazaki women had been intrigued by the big Terrestrial.

Synonyms

• Earthling, Tellurian, Terran, see Wikisaurus:Earthling

Antonyms

• alien, extraterrestrial, see also Wikisaurus:extraterrestrial

Hypernyms

• Solarian

Hyponyms

• Earthgirl, Earthman, Earthwoman

Related terms

• Terra

Translations

References

• Jeff Prucher, editor (2007) Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction, Oxford; New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-530567-8, pages 237–238
• Terrestrial n. at the OED Science Fiction Citations Project

English

Noun

terrestrial ‎(plural terrestrials)

1. (botany) A ground-dwelling plant.
2. Alternative letter-case form of Terrestrial

Adjective

terrestrial ‎(not comparable)

1. Of, relating to, or inhabiting the land of the Earth or its inhabitants, earthly.
   • 2013 July 20, “Welcome to the plastisphere”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:

     Plastics are energy-rich substances, which is why many of them burn so readily. Any organism that could unlock and use that energy would do well in the Anthropocene. Terrestrial bacteria and fungi which can manage this trick are already familiar to experts in the field.

2. Of, relating to, or composed of land.
   • 1997, New Scientist, issue 2096, Review: Cinderella's house

     Microorganisms are the Cinderellas of terrestrial ecology — the majority of the Earth's biomass, yet barely catalogued.

3. Living or growing in or on land (as opposed to other habitat); not aquatic, etc.

   a terrestrial plant‎

4. (astronomy) Of a planet, being composed primarily of silicate rocks or metals; see also terrestrial planet.
5. Concerned with the world or worldly matters.
   • Young

     A genius bright and base, / Of towering talents, and terrestrial aims.

6. (Mormonism) Of or pertaining to the second highest degree of glory.
   • 1974 February, “A Sure Trumpet Sound: Quotations from President Lee”, in Ensign, page 77:

     We are now living and obeying celestial laws that will make us candidates for celestial glory; or we are living terrestrial laws that will make us candidates for terrestrial glory; or telestial.

   • 1977 August, Bruce R. McConkie, “A New Commandment: Save Thyself and Thy Kindred!”, in Tambuli, page 5:

     Theirs is an everlasting terrestrial inheritance because they rejected the truth when it was offered to them in mortality.

7. (broadcasting) Broadcast using radio waves as opposed to satellite or cable.

Synonyms

• earthly
• planetary
• tellurian, telluric, Terran, terrene
• (of, relating to, or composed of land): land, landly
• (astronomy: Earth-like): telluric, rocky
• (concerned with the world): earthly, mundane, sublunary, worldly

Antonyms

• (living or growing on land): aerial, aquatic, arboreal, epiphytic
• (of, related to, or made of land): aerial
• (concerned with the world): celestial, spiritual

Derived terms

Related terms

Translations

References

• terrestrial at OneLook Dictionary Search