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earthling

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Earthling¹

  • /ˈɜːθlɪŋ/ UK
  • /ˈɝθlɪŋ/ US

Where it comes from

From earth + -ling (suffix indicating a resident); earth is ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₁er- (“earth”). Old English ierþling (“farmer, husbandman, ploughman”, literally “one of the earth”) is formed from the same roots but generally did not outlive Old English; all modern uses are historical: see earthling. Compare also human, which is derived from Latin humus (“ground, soil”).

noun Earthlings · earthling

  1. An inhabitant of Earth, as opposed to one of heaven. VVe (of all earthlings) are Gods vtmoſt ſubiects, the laſt (in a manner) that he bought to his obedience: ſhal we then forgette that vvee are any ſubiects of hys, becauſe (as amongſt his Angels) he is not viſibly conuerſant amongſt vs?
  2. An inhabitant of Earth, as opposed to one of another planet; specifically, a sentient member of any species native to Earth.

    Similar: Earthican, Tellurian, Terran, Earthan, Earther, Earthian, Earthie, Earthlet, Earthling, Earthperson, Earthsider, Gaian · Opposite: alien, extraterrestrial, ET, little green man, LGM, xenomorph

  3. archaic A person who is materialistic or worldly; a worldling.

Opposite: alien, extraterrestrial

earthling²

  • /ˈɜːθlɪŋ/ UK
  • /ˈɝθlɪŋ/ US

Where it comes from

From Middle English erthling (“farmer, ploughman”) [and other forms] (in glossaries), from Old English ierþling, eorþling (“farmer, husbandman, ploughman”) [and other forms], from eorþe (“ground; dirt; planet Earth”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁er- (“earth”)) + -ling (suffix forming personal nouns). The English word is analysable as earth + -ling.

noun earthlings

  1. One who tills the earth; a farmer, a husbandman, a ploughman. Eoꞃðlinᵹ [Eorthling], is a Husbandman, or Earthling.

earthling³

  • /ˈɜːθlɪŋ/ UK
  • /ˈɝθlɪŋ/ US

Where it comes from

See Earthling.

noun earthlings

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Earthling VVe (of all earthlings) are Gods vtmoſt ſubiects, the laſt (in a manner) that he bought to his obedience: ſhal we then forgette that vvee are any ſubiects of hys, becauſe (as amongſt his Angels) he is not viſibly conuerſant amongſt vs?

Thesaurus

noun

Opposite: alien, extraterrestrial

Translations

Every language

noun inhabitant of Earth, as opposed to one of heaven

Españolterrenal, terrestre

noun inhabitant of Earth, as opposed to one of another planet

Españolterráqueo, terrestre, terrícola
한국어지구인 jigu'in
日本語地球人 chikyūjin
中文地球人 dìqiúrén
Portuguêsterráqueo, terrestre
Françaisterrien, terrienne
DeutschErdling, Terraner, Terranerin
Italianoterrestre
Ελληνικάγήινος gíinos
Românăpământean, pământeană
Русскийземля́нин zemljánin, жи́тель Земли́ žítelʹ Zemlí, жи́тельница Земли́ žítelʹnica Zemlí, терра́нец terránec
Tiếng Việtngười Trái đất
العربيةأَرْضِيّ ʔarḍiyy

noun person who is materialistic or worldly

Españolmundano

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MLA

"earthling." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/earthling. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

earthling. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/earthling

Chicago

"earthling." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/earthling.

BibTeX
@misc{earthling_2026,
  title = {earthling},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/earthling},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}