extraterrestrial adj.
existing or originating outside Earth or its atmosphere
SF Encyclopedia
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1854 Of the Plurality of Worlds (ed. 2) 133
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Astronomy no more reveals to us extra-terrestrial moral agents, than Religion reveals to us extra-terrestrial Plans of Divine government.
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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.
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1929 Stellar Missile in Science Wonder Stories Nov. 504/1
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Ed Earl Repp
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I do not wish to pose as an expert on the subject of extra-terrestrial matters. I am what you might call an amateur in the affairs of the heavens.
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1938 Hotel Cosmos in Astounding Science-Fiction 145/2
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Raymond Z. Gallun
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Few extra[-] terrestrial creatures possessed the natural capacity to reproduce the sounds of human speech.
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1949 Animal-Cracker Plot in Astounding Science Fiction July 69/1
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L. Sprague de Camp
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I know more about extraterrestrial life than most professional xenologists.
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1964 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.
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1967 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?
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1970 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.
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1984 Practice Effect .iii. 13
David Brin
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You may thank our extraterrestrial friend here for making up my mind for me.
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1985 Alien Swordmaster . ii. 11
S. P. Somtow
Somtow Sucharitkul
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They would happen to be the first extraterrestrial civilization humans would encounter.
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1988 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.
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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.
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2011 Black Fire in Space is Just a Starry Night (2013) 118
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Tanith Lee
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I didn’t know you could have fire like that, black fire—it must be a phenomenon associated with certain types of extraterrestrial objects.
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2020 A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor 12
Hank Green
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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
Bee 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.
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 2020 cite from Hank Green.
Last modified 2025-01-30 14:51:15
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