terra firma

[fur-muh] Origin

terra firma

[fur-muh]
noun
firm or solid earth; dry land (as opposed to water or air).

Origin:
1595–1605; < Latin
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source Link To terra firma

00:10

00:09

00:08

00:07

00:06

00:05

00:04

00:03

00:02

00:01

Terra firma is always a great word to know.
So is zedonk. Does it mean:
a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.
the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.
Collins
World English Dictionary
terra firma (ˈfɜːmə)
 
n
the solid earth; firm ground
 
[C17: from Latin]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

terra firma
1605, "part of the Italian mainland ruled by Venice," from Mod.L. terra firma, lit. "firm land," from L. terra "earth, land" (see terrain) + firma "firm," fem. of firmus (see firm (adj.)). Meaning "the land" (as distinct from "the sea") is first attested 1693.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
American Heritage
Cultural Dictionary
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.”

The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Dictionary.com, LLC. Copyright © 2012. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature