extraterrestrial

American  

[ek-struh-tuh-res-tree-uhl] / ˌɛk strə təˈrɛs tri əl /

adjective

1. outside, or originating outside, the limits of the earth.

   People on earth have long speculated about the idea of extraterrestrial life.

   Cataclysmic wildfires could be expected if earth were to take an extraterrestrial hit.

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noun

1. a being originating from beyond the earth; an alien from outer space.

   It was your typical sci-fi novel about extraterrestrials conquering the earth.

extraterrestrial British  

/ ˌɛkstrətɪˈrɛstrɪəl /

adjective

1. occurring or existing beyond the earth's atmosphere

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noun

1. (in science fiction) a being from beyond the earth's atmosphere

extraterrestrial Scientific  

/ ĕk′strə-tə-rĕs′trē-əl /

1. Originating, located, or occurring outside the Earth or its atmosphere.

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extraterrestrial Cultural  

1. A descriptive term for things outside the Earth, such as possible civilizations outside the solar system, or objects, such as meteorites, that actually reach the Earth.

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Other Word Forms

• extraterrestrially adverb

Etymology

Origin of extraterrestrial

First recorded in 1865–70; extra- + terrestrial

Example Sentences

Because liquid water is essential for life as we know it, these moons rank among the most promising places in the solar system to search for extraterrestrial life.

From Science Daily

Scientists have identified Brazil's first known field of tektites, the glassy material created when an asteroid or other extraterrestrial object strikes Earth with extreme force.

From Science Daily

Dozens of grainy infrared videos, captured by military aircraft, have surfaced over the years purporting to show unexplainable—possibly extraterrestrial—phenomena.

From The Wall Street Journal

In a follow-up post on Instagram, Obama, who served as US president between 2009-17, clarified: "I saw no evidence during my presidency that extraterrestrials have made contact with us. Really!"

From BBC

This shift in thinking could expand how scientists search for extraterrestrial life.

From Science Daily