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
: a being from another world : an extraterrestrial being
Examples of extraterrestrial in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 24 Apr. 2024
This was the first time that scientists detected this compound in an extraterrestrial water ocean.
—Fabian Klenner, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024
Believers in these theories contend that governments and military organizations are actively concealing the truth about the existence of extraterrestrial life.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
And, for the first time ever, this successful extraterrestrial landing was achieved by a spacecraft built and operated by private industry rather than by a government space program.
—Michael Greshko, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024
The pharmaceutical factories that sit in gray, barren business parks may soon become a little more extraterrestrial.
—Grace Browne, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024
Over the last month, the Netflix Top 10 has frequently featured another of these: Resident Alien, a comedy starring Alan Tudyk as an extraterrestrial invader posing as a human doctor in a small Colorado town.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024
Favorite quote from this book: ...only free cultures can be highly innovative, and extraterrestrial settlers must be highly innovative...
—Greg Autry, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024
Paul Dano is perhaps an inspired, if more obvious casting, to voice the extraterrestrial spider Hanuš.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 19 Feb. 2024
Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024
Lexington's visitors and tourism bureau is hoping that its new advertising campaign will convince extraterrestrials to see the Kentucky city as an ideal getaway for a relaxing vacation.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
Notably, the report denies that the government has ever encountered anything remotely resembling extraterrestrials.
—Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024
According to some scientists' current estimates, humans might contact extraterrestrials in the next decades.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Roger and Katy Payne’s album Songs of the Humpback Whale was considered so important that selections from it were included on a record aboard the Voyager 1 spacecraft, to give any extraterrestrials who may find the spacecraft an idea of what life on Earth is like.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2024
Hamilton portrays General Eleanor McCallister, a high-ranking military officer who has daddy issues and a long brewing interest in extraterrestrials.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
Whether or not extraterrestrials take notice remains to be seen.
—Eric Lagatta, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024
Secret organizations communicate with extraterrestrials, but keep this fact from the public.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Share [Findings] Terrestrial bacteria can grow on extraterrestrial nutrients; the black hole nearest Earth was discovered in the constellation Telescopium; and X-ray experiments conducted at the European Synchrotron indicated that moisture is destroying The Scream.
—Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 24 Apr. 2024
This was the first time that scientists detected this compound in an extraterrestrial water ocean.
—Fabian Klenner, Discover Magazine, 22 Apr. 2024
Believers in these theories contend that governments and military organizations are actively concealing the truth about the existence of extraterrestrial life.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
And, for the first time ever, this successful extraterrestrial landing was achieved by a spacecraft built and operated by private industry rather than by a government space program.
—Michael Greshko, Scientific American, 23 Feb. 2024
The pharmaceutical factories that sit in gray, barren business parks may soon become a little more extraterrestrial.
—Grace Browne, WIRED, 27 Mar. 2024
Over the last month, the Netflix Top 10 has frequently featured another of these: Resident Alien, a comedy starring Alan Tudyk as an extraterrestrial invader posing as a human doctor in a small Colorado town.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 14 Mar. 2024
Favorite quote from this book: ...only free cultures can be highly innovative, and extraterrestrial settlers must be highly innovative...
—Greg Autry, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024
Paul Dano is perhaps an inspired, if more obvious casting, to voice the extraterrestrial spider Hanuš.
—Alex Ritman, Variety, 19 Feb. 2024
Noun
The Voyager records can be played under the stylus of a phonograph-like contraption, if extraterrestrials ever intercept them.
—Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024
Lexington's visitors and tourism bureau is hoping that its new advertising campaign will convince extraterrestrials to see the Kentucky city as an ideal getaway for a relaxing vacation.
—Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
Notably, the report denies that the government has ever encountered anything remotely resembling extraterrestrials.
—Lucas Ropek / Gizmodo, Quartz, 19 Mar. 2024
According to some scientists' current estimates, humans might contact extraterrestrials in the next decades.
—Chuck Brooks, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Roger and Katy Payne’s album Songs of the Humpback Whale was considered so important that selections from it were included on a record aboard the Voyager 1 spacecraft, to give any extraterrestrials who may find the spacecraft an idea of what life on Earth is like.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Feb. 2024
Hamilton portrays General Eleanor McCallister, a high-ranking military officer who has daddy issues and a long brewing interest in extraterrestrials.
—Lisa Respers France, CNN, 29 Feb. 2024
Whether or not extraterrestrials take notice remains to be seen.
—Eric Lagatta, The Courier-Journal, 23 Feb. 2024
Secret organizations communicate with extraterrestrials, but keep this fact from the public.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'extraterrestrial.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near extraterrestrial
Cite this Entry
“Extraterrestrial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extraterrestrial. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
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