intergalactic adj.

situated between galaxies; of, pertaining to, or occupying the regions between galaxies

  • 1888 J. E. Gore Letter in Daily Express (Dublin) 19 June 7/2

    Assuming the accuracy of Fresnel’s views, and the consequent reflections of the light rays from the supposed inter-galactic vacuum, it seems probable that after a number of these reflections had taken place the light vibrations would eventually cease, and the energy thus apparently dissipated might perhaps be converted into heat, thus tending in the course of ages to raise the general temperature of the ether, and preserve the great principle of the conservation of energy.

  • 1920 Fort Worth Star-Telegram 2 May IV. 1/3

    He descanted upon star spirals ‘as presumably inter-galactic objects of peculiar construction, that is, a part of a grand system and not individual galaxies or other universes.’

  • 1932 J. W. Campbell Jr. Invaders from Infinite in Amazing Stories Quarterly Spring–Summer 154/1 page image John W. Campbell, Jr. bibliography

    A race which had been able to cross the vast gulf of inter[-]galactic space in the days when Terrestrians were still developing the airplane.

  • 1954 W. Marks Pompous Asteroid in Fantastic Universe Dec. 112/1 page image Winston K. Marks bibliography

    If he wasn’t insane, he was experiencing man’s first inter-galactic contact with an intelligent being.

  • 1968 S. E. Whitfield in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ iv. vi. 356 bibliography

    Bill can work only with materials available here on Earth. (Until the next intergalactic trading ship drops anchor on this planet, anyway.)

  • 1970 G. R. Dickson Hour of Horde iii. 36 Gordon R. Dickson

    The figures of the two men disappeared and were replaced by what looked like a glowing spiral of dust floating against a black background—‘will shortly be facing attack by a roving intergalactic race which periodically preys upon those island universes like our galaxy which dot that intergalactic space’.

  • 1988 S. McCrumb Bimbos of Death Sun i. 7 Sharyn McCrumb bibliography

    Perhaps ‘G’ stood for Ganymede, or some other intergalactic place.

  • 1992 M. Okrand Klingon Dictionary 10 Marc Okrand bibliography

    For intra-and intergalactic communication, the Klingon government, along with most other governments, has accepted English as the lingua franca.

  • 2005 I. M. Banks Algebraist iii. 166 Iain M. Banks

    The outward journey allegedly took almost no time, because it was conducted through an intergalactic wormhole, the portal location of which is amongst those included in the Dweller List.


Research requirements

antedating 1888

Earliest cite

John Ellard Gore, in the Dublin "Daily Express"

Research History
Bill Mullins submitted a cite for "inter-galactic" from a 1920 newspaper.
Simon Koppel submitted a cite from John Ellard Gore from an 1888 newspaper.

Earliest cite in the OED: 1928

Last modified 2021-04-14 10:11:08
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.