noun
Etymology
Origin of earthling
Explanation
An earthling is someone who lives on the planet Earth. In science fiction books and movies, people are called earthlings to distinguish them from aliens. E.T. was definitely not an earthling. You're most likely to come across the word earthling in fiction, since we more often refer to ourselves as "people" or "humans," assuming that we are all from Earth. In science fiction, though, some characters come from other planets or galaxies and aren't actually earthlings. Earthling has an Old English root, yrþling, or "plowman," and in 1949 the author Robert Heinlein first used earthling in a science fiction context.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The closer, “Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples,” is a thumping, midtempo instrumental celebrating the aliens’ success in their mission to funkify Earthlings.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 29, 2025
A big lesson since Sputnik launched the Space Age is that we are Earthlings to the core.
From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025
In fact, scientists revealed that the asteroid is only 11 metres across, comparable to a school bus — that may seem huge for us Earthlings, but in astronomical proportions that is tiny.
From Space Scoop • Oct. 2, 2025
They were grainy, but gave Earthlings a glimpse at the Moon from a different angle.
From BBC • Nov. 16, 2024
“Is your audio output system damaged? What you English-speaking Earthlings call the tongue—is yours working?”
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
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.
