unearthly

American  

[uhn-urth-lee] / ʌnˈɜrθ li /

adjective

1. seeming not to belong to this earth or world.

   unearthly beauty.

2. supernatural; ghostly; unnaturally strange; weird.

   an unearthly scream.

   Synonyms:

   spectral, preternatural

3. out of the ordinary; unreasonable or absurd.

   to get up at an unearthly hour.

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unearthly British  

/ ʌnˈɜːθlɪ /

adjective

1. ghostly; eerie; weird

   unearthly screams

2. heavenly; sublime

   unearthly music

3. ridiculous or unreasonable (esp in the phrase unearthly hour )

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Related Words

See weird.

Other Word Forms

• unearthliness noun

Etymology

Origin of unearthly

First recorded in 1605–15; un- ¹ + earthly

Example Sentences

An unearthly golden light extended from her outstretched hands, radiating sharply against the shadowed monsters on the outside edges of the cover.

From Literature

Their mother, Mrs. Peggy Fox, was sitting on the bed, her face unearthly pale.

From Literature

The window blind is pulled shut, and the bare bulb overhead is painted a dimming blue, giving an unearthly tinge to all beneath it.

From Literature

Ms. Pratt’s voice is unearthly and beautiful, and it’s striking to hear her showing up in such a setting.

From The Wall Street Journal

The girl shrieked, an unearthly noise that raised the hairs at the nape of Clara’s neck.

From Literature