terra firma

American  

[ter-uh fur-muh] / ˈtɛr ə ˈfɜr mə /

noun

1. firm or solid earth; dry land (as opposed to water or air).

---

terra firma British  

/ ˈfɜːmə /

noun

1. the solid earth; firm ground

---

terra firma Cultural  

1. Dry land, as opposed to the sea: “After our stormy voyage across the Atlantic Ocean, we were relieved to set foot on terra firma.” From Latin, meaning “firm (or solid) ground.”

---

Etymology

Origin of terra firma

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1595–1605

Example Sentences

But the fear was that it would happen in space, when you’re 180 miles from terra firma and the nearest fire station.

From Salon • Feb. 9, 2025

That would only have been possible on terra firma, they say.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 30, 2024

This is a miracle, a luxury of maritime technology that many of us who live at the edge of terra firma might, from daily familiarity, take for granted.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 12, 2024

This degeneration, along with reduced muscle mass, is why astronauts must be carried from their capsules when they return to terra firma after a long mission.

From New York Times • Nov. 12, 2023

The contraption lay with its stomach on terra firma, heavy and sluggish and looking more like a wounded duck than like one of those newfangled airplanes they were starting to produce in the United States.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende