(often initial capital letter) the planet third in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 7,926 miles (12,755 km) and a polar diameter of 7,900 miles (12,714 km), a mean distance from the sun of 92.9 million miles (149.6 million km), and a period of revolution of 365.26 days, and having one satellite.
the inhabitants of this planet, especially the human inhabitants.
The whole earth rejoiced.
this planet as the habitation of humans, often in contrast to heaven and hell.
to create a hell on earth.
the surface of this planet.
to fall to earth.
the solid matter of this planet; dry land; ground.
soil and dirt, as distinguished from rock and sand; the softer part of the land.
the hole of a burrowing animal; lair.
Chemistry. any of several metallic oxides that are difficult to reduce, as alumina, zirconia, and yttria.
Also called earth color. Fine Arts. any of various pigments consisting chiefly of iron oxides and tending toward brown in hue.
Chiefly British Electronics. a ground.
Archaic. a land or country.
run to earth,
Hunting. to chase (an animal) into its hole or burrow.
to run a fox to earth.
to search out; track down.
They ran the fugitive to earth in Algiers.
move heaven and earth. heaven.
on earth, in the world.
Where on earth have you been?
(sometimes capital) the third planet from the sun, the only planet on which life is known to exist. It is not quite spherical, being flattened at the poles, and consists of three geological zones, the core, mantle, and thin outer crust. The surface, covered with large areas of water, is enveloped by an atmosphere principally of nitrogen (78 per cent), oxygen (21 per cent), and some water vapour. The age is estimated at over four thousand million years. Distance from sun: 149.6 million km; equatorial diameter: 12 756 km; mass: 5.976 × 10 24 kg; sidereal period of axial rotation: 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds; sidereal period of revolution about sun: 365.256 days
the inhabitants of this planet
the whole earth rejoiced
the dry surface of this planet as distinguished from sea or sky; land; ground
the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the surface of the ground and consists of disintegrated rock particles, mould, clay, etc; soil
worldly or temporal matters as opposed to the concerns of the spirit
the hole in which some species of burrowing animals, esp foxes, live
chem See rare earth alkaline earth
a connection between an electrical circuit or device and the earth, which is at zero potential
US and Canadian equivalent: ground. a terminal to which this connection is made
Also called: earth colour. any of various brown pigments composed chiefly of iron oxides
(modifier) astrology of or relating to a group of three signs of the zodiac, Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn Compare air fire water
informal to be very expensive
to return to reality from a fantasy or daydream
used as an intensifier in such phrases as what on earth , who on earth , etc
to hunt (an animal, esp a fox) to its earth and trap it there
to find (someone) after searching
(intr) (of a hunted fox) to go to ground
(tr) to connect (a circuit, device, etc) to earth
What does earth mean? Earth with a capital E refers to the third planet from our sun, as in Mars fascinates me, but Earth will always be my home. Lowercased, earth most often refers to the surface material of our planet, including rock, soil, and dirt, as in The bulldozer moved so much earth out of the building lot that if I jumped in the hole, I couldn’t get out again. Earth can also refer to the entire human population, representing the Earth as a planet of people, rather than a giant rock floating in space, as in The whole earth was worried about COVID-19. Example: Earth revolves around the sun about every 365 days.
Earth, globe, world are terms applied to the planet on which we dwell. Earth is used especially in speaking of a condition of existence contrasted with that in heaven or hell: those who are yet on earth. Globe formerly emphasized merely the roundness of the earth: to circumnavigate the globe. It is now used more like world, with especial application to the inhabitants of the earth and their activities, interests, and concerns. In this sense, both globe and world are more inclusive than earth and are used more abstractly: the politics of the globe; the future of the world; One World.
It consists of an inner core made of iron and nickel, an outer core of liquid metal, a mantle, and, on the outside, a crust.
On the Earth's surface, the oceans and the continents form the stage on which the evolution of life takes place. The atmosphere above the surface circulates, producing the daily weather.
The Earth was formed at the same time as the sun, about 4.6 billion years ago.
The surface of the solid Earth is in a state of constant change as the rock is moved around by the processes of plate tectonics.
First recorded before 950; Middle English erthe, Old English eorthe; cognate with German Erde, Dutch aarde, Old Norse jǫrth, Danish jord, Gothic airtha
Earth is our home planet, the third from the sun. Life on earth is possible because of its particular climate and the presence of water. Earth is the most familiar of the planets, being the one we live on. You can also use the word to talk about the earth you stand on — it's the non-liquid part of our planet, the solid ground. It's also another word for "dirt" or "soil." The Old English root, eorþe also had a double meaning, both "ground or soil" and "the material world" or "the abode of man," as opposed to the heavens.
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And the data supports that shares are in bargain territory, even though the company is the largest on earth, with a market capitalization of $5.42 trillion.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
In the birthplace of Venezuela's oil industry, thick black crude seeps through cracks in the earth, and the air is heavy with the smell of gas, leaving visitors dizzy.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
"Anyone who is running a lorry is absolutely devastated when they get their fuel bill at the end of the month. There's no business on earth that can withstand that increase in costs," he said.
From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2026
“I’m skeptical of putting my bills on autopay, why on earth would I trust a bot with my money? I’d rather know where my money goes and choose what to buy.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
The moon was full, and so big it looked like it had been pulled closer to the earth by a lasso.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
The 407-foot-tall rocket was scheduled to embark on a nearly 10-hour mission in which it was to complete six orbits around the Earth before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 28, 2026
Now in its initial orbital mission, Starship is expected to fly at an altitude about 275 kilometers above Earth and complete as many as six orbits around the planet over the course of several hours.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026
Could there be a place, somewhere in this vast Earth, where Joan and Jean don’t have to sacrifice their codependent sisterly bond to enjoy life’s pleasures?
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
During the trip, the ship deployed 26 "next generation" Starlink V3 satellites, joining the existing constellation which deliver broadband internet on Earth.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
“The Council’s little democratic strategy is cute, but you can’t make choosing the new Mother Earth a popularity contest.”
From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer
As part of the agreement, Beijing agreed to buy more US soybeans and other agriculture products, and to suspend rare earths restrictions for a year.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
Trump and Xi are also expected to speak about AI and rare earths, a senior U.S. official said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
President Donald Trump on trade, rare earths and artificial intelligence.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
Beijing has already tightened export controls on rare earths as part of previous trade negotiations with the US.
From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026
A universe in which there were two earths within one sphere of water was no longer an Aristotelian universe.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
They are earthed in this big moment, respectful of the tradition they are now associated with, the tradition of Washington’s special friends being drawn to the nation’s bosom.
From The Guardian ● Sep. 27, 2019
Far from having their heads in the clouds, they feel earthed.
From The New Yorker ● Jun. 22, 2018
It would be easy to get away with a sense of Laura Linney as all sweetness and light – but she is, I think, complicatedly earthed.
From The Guardian ● May 27, 2018
Each of the sonatas is echt-Argerich: totally unpredictable from note to note, they fly like the most charming, sensual kite imaginable, ecstatically free and yet still earthed.
From New York Times ● Dec. 4, 2014
This amounts to saying that the amplitude of the potential vibrations is greatest at the top end of the aerial, and the amplitude of the current vibrations is greatest at the bottom or earthed end.
From Hertzian Wave Wireless Telegraphy by John Ambrose Fleming
It added that it had existing lightning and earthing protection on its biogas tanks.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2023
San Francisco’s Joc Pederson also counts on constant support from Martin and is committed to breath work and earthing.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 13, 2023
“Everybody’s got some funny joke about grounding or earthing or trying to make a joke about being a hippie, or whatever the funny narrative is,” he said.
From Washington Times ● Jul. 13, 2023
“So, earthing — I don’t actually know that much about earthing,” Paltrow admitted.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2017
They become white and luxurious by tying up, by earthing up, by any contrivance which has kept the sun at bay.
From Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. V, October, 1850, Volume I. by
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
