terra firma

[ fur-muh ]

/ ˈfɜr mə /

Save This Word!

See synonyms for terra firma on Thesaurus.com

noun

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

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Meet Grammar Coach

Write or paste your essay, email, or story into Grammar Coach and get grammar help

Improve Your Writing

Meet Grammar CoachImprove Your Writing

Origin of terra firma

Borrowed into English from Latin around 1595–1605

Words nearby terra firma

terrace, terraced house, terrachlor, terracing, terracotta, terra firma, terraform, terraforming, terrain, terra incognita, terramara

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use terra firma in a sentence

Here are five books that make the terra slightly less incognita.
The Five Best Books on Cuba|William O’Connor, Malcolm Jones|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The designer originally dreamt up the ideas for STAR with Alex Malybaev, from the FIRMA branding agency.
The World's Most Beautiful Boat—Yours for Half a Billion Dollars|Tim Teeman|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I also like Terra Kulture, a cultural center in Victoria Island, the restaurant there makes a nice smoothie called 'Go Slow.'
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Literary Lagos|Henry Krempels|March 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even the Italian government now refers to the area as the “terra di tumori” or “land of tumors.”
Italy’s Triangle Of Death: Naples Residents Blame Child Cancer Rates On Mob Disposal Of Toxic Chemicals|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Alcatraz and Terra Nova did not live past 13 episodes and Fringe had to fight to make to it to five seasons.
‘Almost Human’ Review: A Dystopian Future That We’ve Seen Before|Chancellor Agard|November 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Among these are "Medusa," a bronze bust; and a "Mater Dolorosa," in terra-cotta.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Over the archway are two sculptured figures in red terra-cotta, representing "Flora" and "Pomona."
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell
It is only a lower stratum, but still it is a part of terra firma, and on no account is it to be ignored.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Had he fallen from a house-top, he would have reached terra firma on his feet.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
A writer gives the following account of the love the Terra Del Fuegians have for tobacco.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.

British Dictionary definitions for terra firma

terra firma

/ (ˈfɜːmə) /

noun

the solid earth; firm ground

Word Origin for terra firma

C17: from Latin

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

Cultural definitions for terra firma

terra firma

[ (ter-uh fur-muh) ]

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.”

terra firma

Origin of terra firma

Words nearby terra firma

Words related to terra firma

How to use terra firma in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for terra firma

Word Origin for terra firma

Cultural definitions for terra firma