earth

The word “earth” means the planet we live on, third from the Sun. In plain terms, either the planet we live on, or plain dirt/ground, or (in UK electrics) a safety wire to the ground.

“Earth” is pronounced urth (/ɝθ/ in IPA).

Here is “earth” used in a sentence: “Earth is the only known planet with life.”

Depending on how it is used, “earth” can be a name, a noun and a verb.

The word “earth” comes from Old English. From Old English eorþe, an ancient Germanic word for soil, ground, and the world itself.

“Earth” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.

“Earth” has 5 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the planet we live on, third from the Sun.

Capitalised, "Earth" is the proper name of our planet, the third from the Sun. Lowercase, "earth" usually means soil or the ground beneath our feet, and in British usage it can mean an electrical connection to the ground. Context tells them apart, but the capital letter signals the planet.

Earth is nicknamed the Blue Planet because water covers about 71 percent of its surface, and from space the oceans give it a striking blue appearance. This abundance of liquid water, unique among the planets we know, is closely tied to Earth being the only world confirmed to support life.

Earth is about 4.54 billion years old, a figure scientists reached mainly by dating the oldest meteorites and rocks through radioactive decay. It formed early in the history of the Solar System from dust and gas orbiting the young Sun. Life appeared within roughly the first billion years afterwards.

So far, Earth is the only place in the universe known to support life. Its combination of liquid water, a protective atmosphere, a stable climate, and a comfortable distance from the Sun makes it habitable. Scientists actively search for life elsewhere, but as yet no confirmed evidence has been found.