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telluric1

[te-loo r-ik]
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adjective
  1. of or relating to the earth; terrestrial.
  2. of or proceeding from the earth or soil.
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Origin of telluric1

1830–40; < Latin tellūr- (stem of tellūs) earth + -ic

telluric2

[te-loo r-ik]
adjective Chemistry.
  1. of or containing tellurium, especially in the hexavalent state.
  2. containing tellurium in a higher valence state than the corresponding tellurous compound.
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Origin of telluric2

First recorded in 1790–1800; tellur(ium) + -ic
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

terrestrialtellurianterrenecarnalcorporealearthboundearthenearthyglobalhumanmaterialmortalmundanephysicalprofaneseculartemporalworldlyalluvialsubastral

Examples from the Web for telluric

Historical Examples

  • Was the phenomenon of telluric origin—Etna or an earthquake?

    Castellinaria

    Henry Festing Jones

  • Well, we are here in the stronghold of these telluric forces.

  • I have heard it ascribed to “telluric influence,” but that is a wide and vague expression.

  • Although it has but a feeble attraction for bases, telluric acid forms salts which are called tellurates.

  • This telluric anhydride (TeO3) is entirely insoluble in water, nitric and hydrochloric acids, and alkaline solutions.

British Dictionary definitions for telluric

telluric1

adjective
  1. of, relating to, or originating on or in the earth or soil; terrestrial, esp in reference to natural electrical or magnetic fields
  2. astronomy (of spectral lines or bands) observed in the spectra of celestial objects and caused by oxygen, water vapour, and carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere
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Word Origin

C19: from Latin tellūs the earth

telluric2

adjective
  1. of or containing tellurium, esp in a high valence state
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Word Origin

C20: from tellur (ium) + -ic
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for telluric

adj.

"pertaining to Earth as a planet," 1836, from Latin tellurem "the earth" (see tellurian) + -ic.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
telluric in Medicine

telluric

(tĕ-lur′ĭk)
adj.
  1. Of or relating to Earth; terrestrial.
  2. Derived from or containing tellurium, especially with valence 6.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.