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Definition of earthling

earthling

/ˈɜːrθ.lɪŋ/
earth · ling
Plural:earthlings
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earthling Lexical Profile

earthling Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An inhabitant of the planet Earth, especially a human being as contrasted with an extraterrestrial creature in science fiction.

Example

"In the classic novel, the visiting Martians were baffled by the everyday customs of the average earthling."

2

A mortal human being, or a person preoccupied with worldly and material affairs rather than spiritual matters (archaic or literary).

Example

"The seventeenth-century poet contrasted the fleeting ambitions of the frail earthling with the permanence of the heavens."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

earthiness
earthing
earthlike
earthling
earthly
earthmover
earthmoving

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English 'eorþling' (a plowman or cultivator of the soil), reanalyzed in the late 16th century from 'earth' + '-ling' to mean a mortal inhabitant of the world, and popularized in the 20th century by science fiction.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Earthling. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/earthling
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