earthling

noun

earth·​ling ˈərth-liŋ How to pronounce earthling (audio)
variants or Earthling
1
: an inhabitant of the earth
2

Examples of earthling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Eclipse on Mars While we earthlings prepare for a rare total solar eclipse that will pass over North America, Mars recently had one of its own. Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2024 But this is not 1961, a time when earthlings weren’t concerned about spreading their biological junk off planet. Ronald D. White, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 The inclusion of Nash’s Climate Refugees documentary in the lunar art museum acknowledges another pressing concern facing us earthlings – climate change and the mass migration that’s likely to ensue. Joe Lynch, Billboard, 26 Feb. 2024 Martian Iron Should Be Readily Available Mars’ natural red landscape is due to copious amounts of iron oxide, basically, what we earthlings call rust. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 But have no fear, freezing earthlings north of the equator — there is a bright side! Skyler Caruso, Peoplemag, 21 Dec. 2023 Aliens from outer space promise earthlings all good things. Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Dec. 2023 Most compelling, nostalgia’s centuries-ago transformation from geographic to temporal may now be on the verge of reversing itself, as more earthlings find themselves on the run, fleeing and fearful, than at any time since Signoret first caught the public’s attention, during the Second World War. Thomas Mallon, The New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2023 From an earthling’s perspective, the moon will be too small to blot out the sun entirely, leaving fiery tendrils at the edge of a deep black disk. Gregory Barber, WIRED, 13 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'earthling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of earthling was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near earthling

Cite this Entry

“Earthling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthling. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

earthling

noun
earth·​ling ˈərth-liŋ How to pronounce earthling (audio)
: one who lives on the planet earth

More from Merriam-Webster on earthling

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