terrestrial

adjective

ter·​res·​tri·​al tə-ˈre-st(r)ē-əl  -ˈres-chəl 

-ˈresh-

1

a

: of or relating to the earth or its inhabitants

terrestrial magnetism

b

: mundane in scope or character : prosaic

2

a

: of or relating to land as distinct from air or water

terrestrial transportation

b(1)

: living on or in or growing from land

terrestrial plants

terrestrial birds

(2)

: of or relating to terrestrial organisms

terrestrial habits

3

: belonging to the class of planets that are like the earth (as in density and silicate composition)

the terrestrial planets Mercury, Venus, and Mars

terrestrial noun

terrestrially adverb

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."

Synonyms

• temporal
• mundane
• physical
• animal
• earthly

Examples of terrestrial in a Sentence

The toad has terrestrial habits, spending most of its time on shore.

scientists haven't even found all the terrestrial life on our planet

Recent Examples on the Web

But beyond its sheer existence, as a large terrestrial bird with a limited capacity for flight, the Menura fits into a rare category of birds like ostriches and penguins that stay grounded rather than taking off into the skies. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 21 Sep. 2025

In the longer term, the best way to properly confirm these findings would be to return samples for analysis in terrestrial laboratories. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 19 Sep. 2025

The effect is an otherworldly terrestrial landscape that hints at underwater environments like nearly-violet bioluminescence. —Natasha Gural, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025

But while much of record labels’ promotional efforts have shifted to platforms including TikTok, Shinedown has remained adamant about the importance of terrestrial radio. —Glenn Peoples, Billboard, 18 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin terrestris, from terra earth — more at terrace entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for terrestrial

• estriol
• extraterrestrial

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Kids Definition

terrestrial

adjective

ter·​res·​tri·​al tə-ˈres-trē-əl  -ˈres-chəl 

-ˈresh-chəl

1

: of or relating to the earth or its living things

2

a

: of or relating to land as distinct from air or water

terrestrial transportation

b

: living on or in or growing from land

terrestrial plants

terrestrial birds