dirtside n.

the surface of a planet

  • 1955 ‘A. North’ Sargasso of Space iii. 30

    ‘We can’t take the chance,’ he repeated, his lips in an obstinate line. ‘We can fuel this ship for one trip—one trip. If we make it to Limbo and there’s no return cargo—well,’ he slapped his hand on the table, ‘you know what that will mean—dirt-side for us!’

  • 1991 K. Laumer Judson's Eden 218 Keith Laumer

    The sound channel crackled and said, loudly, ‘You, there, dirtside! Speak up!’

  • 1995 R. Garcia y Robertson Gone to Glory in Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction July 135 page image R. Garcia y Robertson

    First came a distress bulletin, direct from dirtside.

  • 2009 Fantasy & Science Fiction Apr. 202,

    I get nothing from either the station or dirtside, just background static.

Research requirements

antedating 1955
Earliest cite

Andre Norton, Sargasso of Space
Research History
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1985 reprint of Andre Norton's 1955 "Sargasso of Space"; Mike Christie verified this in a 1957 reprint.

We would be interested in further cites of any date from other sources.

Last modified 2020-12-16 04:08:47
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.