earthbound

adjective

earth·​bound ˈərth-ˌbau̇nd How to pronounce earthbound (audio)
1
a
: fast in or to the soil
earthbound roots
b
: located on or restricted to land or to the surface of the earth
2
a
: bound by earthly interests

Examples of earthbound in a Sentence

a dull and earthbound mind we have too many earthbound worries to speculate on the number of angels who can dance on the head of a pin
Recent Examples on the Web New buildings would have to sit not on an earthbound foundation but on a platform supported on concrete pillars. Curbed, 13 Sep. 2023 Huge flocks of migratory birds, the murmurations of local species, rutting deer bellowing on the hills and in the woodland, and—more earthbound and much smaller—the amazing variety of life that toils to return organic matter to the soil are just some of the wonders of the season. Elizabeth Waddington, Treehugger, 10 Sep. 2023 During this crucial stage of the mission, signals take about three seconds to go from the lander to Earth and back again—a delay too long for earthbound ISRO engineers to reliably guide the landing. Jatan Mehta, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2023 Meanwhile, his wife, Hen (Saoirse Ronan), remains earthbound with an AI version of him. Chelsey Sanchez, Harper's BAZAAR, 16 Aug. 2023 But this is all merely a prelude to a more earthbound tale of guilt and innocence, crime and punishment. Chris Vognar, Rolling Stone, 3 Aug. 2023 Peter is the most outwardly hostile and simultaneously most recognizably earthbound of the film’s three brothers. Joe Reid, Vulture, 26 June 2023 By some recent estimates, giant orbiting generators will soon be competitive with earthbound nuclear plants, if launch costs continue to decrease. Byscience News Staff, science.org, 8 June 2023 Everything about Downtown Owl is both earthbound and heightened, many of its scenes fueled by the unexpected entwinement of sorrow and hilarity, or anger and aching sweetness. Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'earthbound.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of earthbound was circa 1616

Dictionary Entries Near earthbound

Cite this Entry

“Earthbound.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthbound. Accessed 5 Dec. 2023.

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