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earth
[ urth ]
noun
- (often initial capital letter) the planet third in order from the sun, having an equatorial diameter of 7,926 miles (12,755 km) and a polar diameter of 7,900 miles (12,714 km), a mean distance from the sun of 92.9 million miles (149.6 million km), and a period of revolution of 365.26 days, and having one satellite.
- the inhabitants of this planet, especially the human inhabitants:
The whole earth rejoiced.
- this planet as the habitation of humans, often in contrast to heaven and hell:
to create a hell on earth.
- the surface of this planet:
to fall to earth.
- the solid matter of this planet; dry land; ground.
- soil and dirt, as distinguished from rock and sand; the softer part of the land.
- the hole of a burrowing animal; lair.
- Chemistry. any of several metallic oxides that are difficult to reduce, as alumina, zirconia, and yttria. Compare alkaline earth, rare earth.
- Also called earth color. Fine Arts. any of various pigments consisting chiefly of iron oxides and tending toward brown in hue.
- Chiefly British Electronics. a ground.
- Archaic. a land or country.
verb (used with object)
- Chiefly British Electronics. to ground.
earth
/ ɜːθ /
noun
- sometimes capital the third planet from the sun, the only planet on which life is known to exist. It is not quite spherical, being flattened at the poles, and consists of three geological zones, the core, mantle, and thin outer crust. The surface, covered with large areas of water, is enveloped by an atmosphere principally of nitrogen (78 per cent), oxygen (21 per cent), and some water vapour. The age is estimated at over four thousand million years. Distance from sun: 149.6 million km; equatorial diameter: 12 756 km; mass: 5.976 × 10 24kg; sidereal period of axial rotation: 23 hours 56 minutes 4 seconds; sidereal period of revolution about sun: 365.256 days terrestrialtelluriantelluricterrene
- the inhabitants of this planet
the whole earth rejoiced
- the dry surface of this planet as distinguished from sea or sky; land; ground
- the loose soft material that makes up a large part of the surface of the ground and consists of disintegrated rock particles, mould, clay, etc; soil
- worldly or temporal matters as opposed to the concerns of the spirit
- the hole in which some species of burrowing animals, esp foxes, live
- See alkaline earth, rare earthchem See rare earth alkaline earth
- a connection between an electrical circuit or device and the earth, which is at zero potential
- a terminal to which this connection is made US and Canadian equivalentground
- Also calledearth colour any of various brown pigments composed chiefly of iron oxides
- cost the earth informal.cost the earth to be very expensive
- come back to earthcome back to earthcome down to earth to return to reality from a fantasy or daydream
- on earthon earth used as an intensifier in such phrases as what on earth , who on earth , etc
- run to earthrun to earth
- to hunt (an animal, esp a fox) to its earth and trap it there
- to find (someone) after searching
verb
- intr (of a hunted fox) to go to ground
- tr to connect (a circuit, device, etc) to earth
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Notes
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Word History and Origins
Origin of earth1
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Word History and Origins
Origin of earth1
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Idioms and Phrases
- on earth, in the world:
Where on earth have you been?
- run to earth,
- Hunting. to chase (an animal) into its hole or burrow:
to run a fox to earth.
- to search out; track down:
They ran the fugitive to earth in Algiers.
- move heaven and earth. heaven ( def 8 ).
More idioms and phrases containing earth
see down to earth ; ends of the earth ; four corners of the earth ; move heaven and earth ; not have an earthly chance ; on earth ; run to earth ; salt of the earth .Discover More
Synonym Study
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Example Sentences
While shares of Gamestop are now coming down to earth at about $50 apiece, the former rally’s impact has been far from negligible.
In recent standoffs, the NBA has been willing to move heaven and earth to maximize its television revenue.
With only one mining firm currently producing rare earths in the US, Round Top—which the company hopes to have in operation by 2023—would play a significant role in helping diversify supplies.
Sophie Murguia, assistant editorThere are some writers you discover and subsequently decide you must follow to the ends of the earth.
Over the past several decades, China has built up and cemented its dominance in global rare earths, and at its peak the country accounted for almost 98% of the world’s raw rare earths production.
The questions going through my mind are: How on earth are there Kalashnikovs and rocket launchers in the heart of Paris?
One is forced to ask, what on earth was Andrew doing hanging out with scantily clad teenagers?
They carved a refuge out of the wilderness and then, in 200 years, built it into the most powerful nation on earth.
Once giants walked this earth, and some of them were Democrats.
Woods were shredded, the earth trembled and the ground exploded in showers of stone and red-hot metal splinters.
The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.
The Majesty on high has a colony and a people on earth, which otherwise is under the supremacy of the Evil One.
All things that are of the earth, shall return to the earth again, and all waters shall return to the sea.
It was difficult, with the mean appliances of the time, to wring subsistence from the reluctant earth.
He felt himself the meanest, vilest thing a-crawl upon this sinful earth, and she—dear God!
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More About Earth
What does earth mean?
Earth with a capital E refers to the third planet from our sun, as in Mars fascinates me, but Earth will always be my home.
Lowercased, earth most often refers to the surface material of our planet, including rock, soil, and dirt, as in The bulldozer moved so much earth out of the building lot that if I jumped in the hole, I couldn’t get out again.
Earth can also refer to the entire human population, representing the Earth as a planet of people, rather than a giant rock floating in space, as in The whole earth was worried about COVID-19.
Example: Earth revolves around the sun about every 365 days.
Where does earth come from?
The first records of the term earth come from before 950. It comes from the Old English eorthe.
The Earth we live on and the earth we stand on are so much a part of our lives that it’s no wonder we have so many senses of this word. In chemistry, earth refers to some metallic oxides that are hard to reduce, such as alumina and zirconia. In hunting, earth is an animal’s den that is low to the ground. In the fine arts, earth can be a color that tends to be a brown hue. And if a food has an earthy smell, it will smell of moist dirt, such as potatoes and carrots sometimes do.
You’ll see earth used in figurative senses, too. If your friend “moves heaven and earth” to get tickets for the big concert, they are making a huge effort to get those tickets. If your mother asks you, “Where on earth have you been?” she is using earth to emphasize her question about your location. If someone says you’re a “down to earth” person, they mean that you’re practical and realistic. And if you hear news that is “earth-shattering,” the news is shocking or traumatic.
Did you know … ?
What are some other forms related to earth?
- earthling (noun)
- earthly (adverb)
- earthwards (adverb)
- earthen (adjective)
What are some synonyms for earth?
What are some words that share a root or word element with earth?
What are some words that often get used in discussing earth?
How is earth used in real life?
Earth is a common word used to talk about the planet we live on or its surface.
Never let a soul on this earth make you feel like you aren’t enough.
— Unkonfined (@unkonfined) June 5, 2020
i paid off my car and my credit score went down, these things are the biggest scam on earth
— Natalie Weiner (@natalieweiner) August 13, 2020
California is the only U.S. state to have a chemical element named after it.
"Californium" is a radioactive rare earth metal and a biological hazard.
— UberFacts (@UberFacts) April 16, 2020
Try using earth!
Which of the following is NOT a synonym for earth?
A. clay
B. dirt
C. soil
D. wind
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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