terrestrial
adjective
-ˈres-chəl
Did you know?
Terrestrial might be a pretty down-to-earth word, but some of its relatives are out of this world. "Terrestrial" first appeared in English in the 15th century and derives from the Latin root terra, which means "earth." In the mid-1800s "extra-" was added to "terrestrial," giving us "extraterrestrial," an adjective that can be used to describe things (including science fiction creatures) that come from space. "Terrestrial" shares the "-al" suffix with "celestial," which was first used in the 14th century. Not surprisingly, "celestial" ("of or relating to the sky or visible heavens") traces back to the Latin for sky, "caelum."
Examples of terrestrial in a Sentence
Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Scientists are concerned with how abiogenesis — the inception of life from non-living matter — could have occurred in the first place; some theories state that certain environments on Earth, like hydrothermal vents deep in the ocean or terrestrial hot springs, drove prebiotic processes.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
Facing the immense void and inherent dangers of space demands new collaboration, innovation and relational logic, driving an emergent cultural perspective fundamentally different from terrestrial norms.
—Reema Khan, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Each dry season, farmers carve up and burn hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of acres in one of the world’s largest terrestrial carbon sinks to make way for cattle pastures and soy plantations, the leading engines of deforestation across Brazil.
—Sarah Sax, The Atlantic, 16 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for terrestrial
Cite this Entry
“Terrestrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/terrestrial. Accessed 1 May. 2025.
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terrestrial
adjective
-ˈres-chəl
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