extraterrestrial

1 of 2

adjective

ex·​tra·​ter·​res·​tri·​al ˌek-strə-tə-ˈre-strē-əl 

-ˈres-chəl,

-ˈresh-chəl

: originating, existing, or occurring outside the earth or its atmosphere

extraterrestrial life

extraterrestrial

2 of 2

noun

: a being from another world : an extraterrestrial being

Examples of extraterrestrial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Intended as a joke, the post invited users to band together and raid Area 51 — a highly classified United States Air Force facility in Nevada — to uncover extraterrestrial life, long rumored to be hidden there. —Lizzie Hyman, People.com, 2 July 2025

But does the nature of the search for extraterrestrial life mean that extraordinary claims require even more extraordinary evidence? —Oliver Swainston, Space.com, 28 June 2025

Noun

The terror is real, y'all, and the killer extraterrestrial goes perfectly with the galactic claustrophobia. —Brian Truitt, USA Today, 14 June 2025

In September 2023, during a serious investigation into alien bodies, Goldberg actually got up from the Hot Topics table to approach a large screen displaying what appeared to be a deceased extraterrestrial. —Joey Nolfi Published, EW.com, 12 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1848, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1950, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for extraterrestrial

• estriol
• terrestrial

Kids Definition

extraterrestrial

adjective

ex·​tra·​ter·​res·​tri·​al

ˌek-strə-tə-ˈres-trē-əl

: coming from or existing outside the earth or its atmosphere

extraterrestrial life

extraterrestrial noun