terra firma

[ fur-muh ]

noun

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

terra firma

/ ˈfɜːmə /

noun

1. the solid earth; firm ground

terra firma

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.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of terra firma¹

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1595–1605

Word History and Origins

Origin of terra firma¹

C17: from Latin

Example Sentences

Not that Kirk always heeds his doctor's advice, but the captain of the Enterprise could have just settled for enjoying camping on terra firma with his best friends instead of risking his life ascending El Capitan once again.

From TechCrunch

Less than two years after buying EMI, Hands' investors forced him to resign as CEO of Terra Firma over anger at their losses.

From The Daily Beast

A fidelity to the spontaneous moment is no longer the terra firma on which the photographic image is grounded.

From The Daily Beast

It is only a lower stratum, but still it is a part of terra firma, and on no account is it to be ignored.

From Project Gutenberg

Had he fallen from a house-top, he would have reached terra firma on his feet.

From Project Gutenberg

A few palm-trees rising from the mangroves indicated a spot where we might find a little terra firma.

From Project Gutenberg

And now at last we can step again from the treacherous quicksand of reminiscences on the terra firma of documents.

From Project Gutenberg

I did ask him, but he said he wasn't tired of terra firma yet.

From Project Gutenberg