extraterrestrial — relating to or coming from outside the Earth or its atmosphere
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: relating to or coming from outside the Earth or its atmosphere
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌekstrətəˈrestriəl/
Example Sentences
- My neighbor is so weird that I suspect he might be extraterrestrial.
- The SETI project aims to detect extraterrestrial radio signals.
- When I saw my exam grade, I needed extraterrestrial help to understand how I passed.
extraterrestrial
ADJECTIVE[/ˌekstrətəˈrestriəl/]
relating to or coming from outside the Earth or its atmosphere
A glowing extraterrestrial steps out of a saucer in a quiet cornfield.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin, combining extra (beyond, outside) and terrestris (of the earth, earthly), derived from terra (earth, land). The term literally means 'outside the earth' and gained widespread use in modern scientific discourse during the space exploration era of the 20th century.
Breakdown
extra- (beyond, outside) + terrestrial (of or relating to the earth, from Latin terra meaning earth). The suffix -ial is an adjectival ending indicating 'of or belonging to'.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My neighbor is so weird that I suspect he might be extraterrestrial.”
“The SETI project aims to detect extraterrestrial radio signals.”
“When I saw my exam grade, I needed extraterrestrial help to understand how I passed.”
“Scientists found what appears to be extraterrestrial material in the meteorite.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
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