Meanings
plural terranauts
- 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 1661 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
terranaut. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/terranaut
“terranaut.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/terranaut. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “terranaut,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/terranaut.
Source: terranaut on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.