earthling

earthling · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*h₁er-“earth”
2. Old English · inherited fromierþling
3. Middle English · inherited fromerthling“farmer, ploughman”
4. English todayearthling

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.

earthling · noun²

See Earthling.

Earthling · noun³

1. Latin · derived fromhumus“ground, soil”
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₁er-“earth”
3. English todayEarthling

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”).

Words from the same roots