terrestrial planet

[tuh-res-tree-uhl plan-it]

noun

Astronomy.

1. a planet composed mostly of metals or silica rocks: in our solar system, the terrestrial planets are the four inner planets.

terrestrial planet

1. See inner planet

Word History and Origins

Origin of terrestrial planet¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

As a result, very low-mass stars host the majority of terrestrial planets by far.

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"This is a terrestrial planet that I would describe as Io on steroids," Kane said.

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A terrestrial planet's interior also influences its atmosphere.

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"An idea came to us, by looking at what's going on with the terrestrial planets in our own system," Triaud says.

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Understanding how these volatile elements made it to Earth helps planetary scientists like us better understand Earth’s geologic history, and it could teach us more about the habitability of terrestrial planets beyond Earth.

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