terranaut

T1E1R1R1A1N1A1U1T1

noun

Someone who explores some part of the Earth.

Scrabble 9

Meanings

nounterranaut (plural terranauts)

plural terranauts

  1. literatureSomeone who explores some part of the Earth.

    The first terranaut was pulled into view, wearing the characteristic black uniform of his kind. His head lolled back, his mask had been ripped away, but he was fighting bravely to retain consciousness.

    1967, Brian W. Aldiss, “The Night That All Time Broke Out”, in Harlan Ellison, editor, Dangerous Visions, New York: Doubleday & Company, page 166
    1 more example

    By now, the interior of the vessel was entirely weightless. The ship had sunk to a depth of 6,800 kilometers – the planet's deepest point. The last remaining terranaut aboard the Sunset 6 had become the first person to reach the Earth's core.

    2013, Cixin Liu, The Wandering Earth, London: Head of Zeus, published 2017, →ISBN, page unknown

Origin

From Latin terra (“dry land; soil; Earth”) + -naut.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

terranaut. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/terranaut

MLA

“terranaut.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/terranaut. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “terranaut,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/terranaut.

Source: terranaut on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.