extraterrestrial adj.

existing or originating outside the earth or its atmosphere

SF Encyclopedia


  • 1854 W. Whewell Of the Plurality of Worlds (ed. 2) 133 page image

    Astronomy no more reveals to us extra-terrestrial moral agents, than Religion reveals to us extra-terrestrial Plans of Divine government.

  • 1854 Maidstone & Kentish Journal 5 Sept. 2/4

    Let it be shown that the stars, instead of being substantial bodies, are in fact mere clouds of the thinnest cometic vapour—let all this and more be proved, and not the slightest reason will have been shown why the heavenly bodies may not be the homes of intelligent organisms which Almighty power and wisdom might easily devise. We may therefore dismiss both treatises as in reality proving nothing. And yet the very idea that there may be races of extra-terrestrial beings suggests many and not unprofitable considerations.

  • 1949 L. S. de Camp Animal-Cracker Plot in Astounding Science Fiction July 69/1 page image L. Sprague de Camp bibliography

    I know more about extraterrestrial life than most professional xenologists.

  • 1964 P. K. Dick War with Fnools in We Can Remember It Wholesale (1994) 52 Philip K. Dick

    The Fnool reached the elevator and without hesitation pressed the button; some extra-terrestrial Fnoolian knowledge guided its hand.

  • 1967 P. K. Dick Faith of our Fathers in We can remember It for you Wholesale (1994) 268 Philip K. Dick

    Was it the aquatic horror shape? The thing with slime and teeth, the extraterrestrial life form?

  • 1970 A. McCaffrey Ship who Sang (1991) i.3 Anne McCaffrey

    Helva’s civilization was not without busy, do-good associations, exploring possible inhumanities to terrestrial as well as extraterrestrial citizens.

  • 1984 D. Brin Practice Effect i.iii. 13 David Brin bibliography

    You may thank our extraterrestrial friend here for making up my mind for me.

  • 1985 S. Sucharitkul Alien Swordmaster i. ii. 11 S. P. Somtow bibliography

    They would happen to be the first extraterrestrial civilization humans would encounter.

  • 1987 M. Crichton Sphere 17 Michael Crichton

    He reviewed the published speculations on extraterrestrial life.

  • 1987 G. Bear Forge of God (1988) 12 Greg Bear

    Dr. Drinkwater maintains that there are no intelligent extraterrestrial civilizations.

  • 1988 A. C. Clarke 2061: Odyssey Three 71 Arthur C. Clarke

    It should cut out all Earth-related references—they would certainly number in the millions—and concentrate entirely on extraterrestrial citations.

  • 1992 SFRA Review July–Aug.–Sept. 14

    A good example…ties together journeys to ‘another world in space’…and ‘leading exponents today of large-scale efforts to establish contact with extraterrestrial civilizations’.

  • 1994 Analog Science Fiction & Fact Jan. 8/1

    One good approach might be some sort of ‘interstellar homesteading’ concept, whereby nations and companies can claim extraterrestrial land that they actually use.

  • 2011 T. Lee Black Fire in Space is Just a Starry Night (2013) 118 page image Tanith Lee bibliography

    I didn’t know you could have fire like that, black fire—it must be a phenomenon associated with certain types of extraterrestrial objects.

  • 2020 H. Green A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor 12 Hank Green bibliography

    It seems unlikely that my best friend becoming an international superstar for being the discoverer and chief human advocate for an extraterrestrial life-form isn’t the weirdest thing that’s ever happened to me.


Research requirements

antedating 1854

Research History
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2011 cite from Tanith Lee.
Simon Koppel submitted an 1854 cite from William Whewell, and another 1854 cite (with a clearer quote) from a review of this book.
Ben Ostrowsky submitted a 2020 cite from Hank Green.

Last modified 2021-04-20 19:13:47
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.