terra firma

noun

ter·​ra fir·​ma ˌter-ə-ˈfər-mə 

also -ˈfir-

: dry land : solid ground

Synonyms of terra firma

• soil
• land
• ground
• earth

Examples of terra firma in a Sentence

after that nightmarish storm, the sailors were grateful to reach terra firma

Recent Examples on the Web

As the United States of America celebrated its 250th birthday on terra firma with fireworks displays this weekend, two Asian countries made some splashes of their own farther from Earth. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 6 July 2026

There might be a fight to escape, but even those few who crawl over rocks and grit and sand to reach terra firma find their surroundings changed. — Literary Hub, 18 May 2026

On terra firma, most of the available supply of helium-3 comes as a by-product of nuclear weaponry via the radioactive decay of tritium, a rare isotope of hydrogen that boosts the power of thermonuclear bombs. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 14 May 2026

Containers aren’t just for urban gardeners who lack space or terra firma. — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, literally, solid land

First Known Use

1638, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for terra firma

• scleroderma
• trichoderma
• xeroderma
• derma
• kerma

Kids Definition

terra firma

noun

ter·​ra fir·​ma

-ˈfər-mə

: dry land : solid ground