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

Her creations give nods to nature, at times skew extraterrestrial, and have Afro-futuristic undertones.

From Los Angeles Times

But it does hint strongly at extraterrestrial visitors being revealed to humankind with a tagline: "If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?"

From BBC

When his wish is granted and he finds himself amid extraterrestrial new friends and foes in a gorgeously animated vision of space, he must rethink what it means to feel at home.

From Los Angeles Times

Cosmic impacts vary widely, ranging from the constant fall of fine extraterrestrial dust to massive collisions that occur only once every tens of millions of years.

From Science Daily

The mission is scheduled to launch in 2028 aiming to probe the surface of Mars for signs of extraterrestrial life.

From Barron's