earthman n.

a person (esp. a man) who is a native or inhabitant of Earth

Demonyms

  • [a1834 S. T. Coleridge Rash Conjurer in Compl. Poet. Wks. (1912) I. 400

    Ye Earthmen! be warned by a judgement so tragic, And wipe yourselves cleanly with all books of magic.]

  • 1849 Holden’s Dollar Magazine Nov. 650/1

    I [sc. the moon] am wearied out by the continual and senseless declarations of these earth-men.

  • [1851 H. Melville Moby-Dick xiv. 71

    It smells like another world, more strangely than the moon would to an Earthsman.]

  • 1913 Science Oct. 3 469

    We can readily believe that all of nature’s laws in general, and the velocity of light in particular, should be the same on sun, earth or planet in the Milky Way; but the fact that the earth-man finds the sun clocks slow, and the sun-man finds the earth clocks slow, in the same ratio is the startling contribution of the theory of relativity.

  • 1928 E. R. Burroughs Master Mind of Mars 247 Edgar Rice Burroughs

    They were even more grotesque than those I had seen in the temple in the city and their trappings were rich beyond the conception of man—Earthman—for the gems of Barsoom scintillate with rays unknown to us and of such gorgeous and blinding beauty as to transcend description.

  • 1928 E. R. Burroughs Master Mind of Mars 2 Edgar Rice Burroughs

    Such dreams! Always of Mars, and during my waking hours at night my eyes always sought out the Red Planet when he was above the horizon and clung there seeking a solution of the seemingly unfathomable riddle he has presented to the Earthman for ages.

  • 1930 E. E. Smith in Amazing Stories Sept. 553/2 page image Edward E. Smith bibliography

    We thank you with all force, Earthmen, for what you have done for us this day.

  • 1934 R. Z. Gallun in Astounding Stories Dec. 110/1 Raymond Z. Gallun

    To an Earthman acquainted with astronomical equipment, the purpose of the rotating bowl would have been at once apparent, and he would have marveled at the simple cleverness of this piece of Martian ingenuity.

  • 1957 P. Anderson & G. R. Dickson Earthman’s Burden 13 Poul Anderson Gordon R. Dickson

    The first Earthmen had been met with eager admiration by the Hoka tribe near whose village they landed.

  • 1958 R. Silverberg Invaders from Earth (1987) v. 54 Robert Silverberg

    We start disseminating word of a colony of Earthmen on Ganymede. Volunteers.

  • 1966 S. Delany Babel-17 i. iii. 33 Samuel R. Delany bibliography

    He’s an Earthman. Though I believe he was born on route from Arcturus to one of the Centauris.

  • 1979 D. Adams Hitch Hiker’s Guide to Galaxy 124 Douglas Adams

    ‘Earthman,’ he said, ‘it is sometimes hard to follow your mode of speech. Remember I have been asleep inside this planet of Magrathea for five million years and know little of these early sixties sit coms of which you speak.’

  • 1980 D. Brin Sundiver i.i. 12 David Brin

    Fagin was also the one extraterrestrial who tried hardest to understand Earthmen.

  • 1983 R. Sheckley Dramocles (1984) 18 Robert Sheckley

    He had even grown used to the computer’s disparaging remarks about some forgotten Earthman named Sir Isaac Newton.

  • 1993 A. Budrys Hard Landing 125 Algis Budrys

    Suddenly I realized I had been down on this planet less than a day, and already I was more Earthman than not.

  • 1994 Sci Fi Entertainment Aug. 62/3

    The extraterrestrials, called Xenomorphs, are menacing to earthmen.

  • 2015 D. A. Goodman Autobiography of James T. Kirk vi. 142 page image David A. Goodman bibliography

    Would Earthmen and Vulcans [have] been able to form a lasting friendship if this connection were known?


Research requirements

antedating 1913

Earliest cite

Reinhard A. Wetzel, The New Relativity in Physics

Research History
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1972 reprint of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Master Mind of Mars", and Fred Galvin confirmed the cite in a 1928 edition.
We would like confirmation of the 1927 original.
Imran Ghory submitted a cite from a 1995 reprint of Isaac Asimov's "Reason"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1941 original appearance.
Rick Hauptmann submitted a 1939 cite from Jack Williamson's "After World's End".
Rick Hauptmann submitted a 1934 cite from Raymond Gallun's "Old Faithful".
Cory Panshin submitted a cite from a 1968 reprint of E.E. Smith's "Skylark Three"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1930 original appearance.
Rick Hauptmann submitted a cite from the title of Frederik Pohl's story "The Abominable Earthman"; Mike Christie verified the cite in the 1961 magazine appearance.
Katrina Campbell submitted a cite from a 1992 reprint of Mack Reynolds' 1954 story "Last Warning".
Cory Panshin submitted a cite from a 1957 reprint of Poul Anderson and Gordon Dickson's 1951 story "Heroes Are Made".
Enoch Forrester submitted a cite from a reprint of Douglas Adams' "The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy"; Mike Christie verified it in the 1979 first edition.
Imran Ghory submitted a cite from a 1913 article in "Science", Reinhard A. Wetzel's "The New Relativity in Physics"
Douglas Winston submitted a 2002 cite from Peter F. Hamilton's "Fallen Dragon".
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2015 cite from David A. Goodman.

Last modified 2022-12-12 13:34:55
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.