adj Uncommon

terrestrial

tih-REHST-rih-uhl

Terrestrial (adj) means relating to the Earth or its land, as opposed to sea, sky, or space. Example: “Terrestrial life is thought to have begun in the oceans.”

adj

Relating to the Earth or its land, as opposed to sea, sky, or space.

"Terrestrial life is thought to have begun in the oceans."

Living or growing on land rather than in water.

"Tortoises are terrestrial, while turtles spend most of their time in water."

Broadcast using ground-based radio signals rather than satellite or cable.

"The channel is available on terrestrial television as well as online."

How to use terrestrial

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishRelating to land or Earth — used for wildlife habitats, planets, and (in the UK) regular TV broadcasting.

Easily confused with

celestial → extraterrestrial →

Common pairings

terrestrial television terrestrial life terrestrial planet

Word forms

Terrestrials plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

_____ life is thought to have begun in the oceans.

Etymology

From Latin terrestris, "of the earth," from terra, "land, earth."

Origin: Latin

Synonyms

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earthly planetary tellurian telluric Terran terrene rocky

Antonyms

aerial aquatic arboreal epiphytic spiritual celestial alien extraterrestrial

Related words

good foreign difficult global holy physical religious tree

Rhymes for terrestrial

dial trial aerial serial filial denial medial racial social burial facial menial

See all rhymes for terrestrial →

Frequently asked questions

What does “terrestrial” mean?

The word “terrestrial” means relating to the Earth or its land, as opposed to sea, sky, or space. In plain terms, relating to land or Earth — used for wildlife habitats, planets, and (in the UK) regular TV broadcasting.

How do you pronounce “terrestrial”?

“Terrestrial” is pronounced tih-REHST-rih-uhl (/tɪˈɹɛstɹɪ.əl/ in IPA).

How do you use “terrestrial” in a sentence?

Here is “terrestrial” used in a sentence: “Terrestrial life is thought to have begun in the oceans.”

What is another word for “terrestrial”?

Words with a similar meaning to “terrestrial” include earthly, planetary, tellurian, telluric, Terran and terrene.

What is the opposite of “terrestrial”?

The opposite of “terrestrial” — its antonyms — are aerial, aquatic, arboreal, epiphytic and spiritual.

What part of speech is “terrestrial”?

“Terrestrial” is an adjective.

Where does the word “terrestrial” come from?

The word “terrestrial” comes from Latin. From Latin terrestris, "of the earth," from terra, "land, earth.".

Is “terrestrial” a common word?

“Terrestrial” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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