English
Terrestrial
Terrestrial comes from Latin terrestris ‘of or pertaining to the earth or land’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *ters- ‘dry’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ters-‘dry’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*terzā‘earth’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEterra‘land, earth, ground’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEterrestris‘of or pertaining to the earth or land’
- Englishearliest quotation 1873Terrestrial
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ters-‘dry’reconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*terzā‘earth’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEterra‘land, earth, ground’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEterrestris‘of or pertaining to the earth or land’
- Englishearliest quotation 1873Terrestrial
Earliest quotation: 1873, Richard Anthony Proctor, The Expanse of Heaven: “It will be manifest that natural scenery must present…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ters- ‘dry’
test, inter, toast, thirst, torrent, torrid, terrine, 41 more
through Proto-Italic *terzā ‘earth’
through Latin terra ‘land, earth, ground’
territory, terrain, terrace, territorial, terra, terrier, fossa, fosse, terroir, 16 more
through Latin terrestris ‘of or pertaining to the earth or land’
Today it means
noun An inhabitant of the planet Earth.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ters- / Terrestrial