adjective
-
made of baked clay
an earthen pot
-
made of earth
Etymology
Origin of earthen
1175–1225; Middle English erthen, Old English eorthen. See earth, -en 2
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.
In response to the floods, the worst in 30 years, authorities were on the alert, reinforcing earthen barriers and preparing to evacuate if needed.
From Barron's • Jun. 2, 2026
Or it could simply indicate that collectors feel safer splurging on a household-name artist like Rembrandt, a Renaissance man famed for his pensive, realistic self-portraits in earthen hues.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026
What survives of this ancient city today includes two long rows of rectangular earthen mounds, each about a meter high.
From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2025
An extensive earthen wall is being built around the besieged Sudanese city of el-Fasher and is intended to trap people inside, according to research from Yale University.
From BBC • Aug. 29, 2025
“I’m sure Achren hasn’t any idea all this is here,” she whispered, pointing to heaps of otter-skin robes and great earthen jars overflowing with jewels.
From "The Book of Three" by Lloyd Alexander
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.
