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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

ter·res·tri·al       (tə-rěs'trē-əl)  Pronunciation Key  adj.   Of or relating to the earth or its inhabitants. Having a worldly, mundane character or quality. Of, relating to, or composed of land. Biology Living or growing on land; not aquatic: a terrestrial plant or animal. n.   An inhabitant of the earth. [Middle English, from Latin terrestris, from terra, earth; see ters- in Indo-European roots.] ter·res'tri·al·ly adv., ter·res'tri·al·ness n.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
terrestrial 

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

terrestrial
adjective
1.	of or relating to or inhabiting the land as opposed to the sea or air [syn: tellurian]
2.	of or relating to or characteristic of the planet Earth or its inhabitants; "planetary rumblings and eructations"- L.C.Eiseley ; "the planetary tilt"; "this terrestrial ball" [syn: planetary]
3.	operating or living or growing on land [ant: amphibious, aquatic]
4.	concerned with the world or worldly matters; "mundane affairs"; "he developed an immense terrestrial practicality" [syn: mundane]
5.	of this earth; "transcendental motives for sublunary actions"; "fleeting sublunary pleasures"; "the nearest to an angelic being that treads this terrestrial ball" [syn: sublunar]

The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

terrestrial       (tə-rěs'trē-əl)  Pronunciation Key  Relating to Earth or its inhabitants. Relating to, living on, or growing on land.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Terrestrial

Ter*res"tri*al\, a. [L. terrestris, from terra the earth. See Terrace.]

1. Of or pertaining to the earth; existing on the earth; earthly; as, terrestrial animals. "Bodies terrestrial." --1 Cor. xv. 40.

2. Representing, or consisting of, the earth; as, a terrestrial globe. "The dark terrestrial ball." --Addison.

3. Of or pertaining to the world, or to the present state; sublunary; mundane.

Vain labors of terrestrial wit. --Spenser.

A genius bright and base, Of towering talents, and terrestrial aims. --Young.

4. Consisting of land, in distinction from water; belonging to, or inhabiting, the land or ground, in distinction from trees, water, or the like; as, terrestrial serpents.

The terrestrial parts of the globe. --Woodward.

5. Adapted for the observation of objects on land and on the earth; as, a terrestrial telescope, in distinction from an astronomical telescope. -- Ter*res"tri*al*ly, adv. -- Ter*res"tri*al*ness, n.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Terrestrial

Ter*res"tri*al\, n. An inhabitant of the earth.