tellurian

1 of 3

adjective

tel·​lu·​ri·​an
tə̇|ˈu̇rēən,
te|,
|lˈyu̇-
: of, relating to, or characteristic of the earth
the newly discovered tellurian genusT. H. Huxley
great collective forces of instinct, resentment and tellurian inspirationJacques Maritain

tellurian

2 of 3

noun (1)

"
plural -s
: a dweller on the earth

tellurian

3 of 3

noun (2)

"
variants or tellurion
"
plural -s
: an apparatus to illustrate the causation of day and night by the rotation of the earth on its axis and the dependence of the seasons on the sun's declination

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

tellur- + -ian

Noun (2)

tellurian modification of New Latin tellurion; tellurion, New Latin, from tellur- + Greek -ion, diminutive suffix

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near tellurian

Cite this Entry

“Tellurian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tellurian. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!