extraterrestrial adj.

existing or originating outside 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.

  • 1929 E. E. Repp Stellar Missile in Science Wonder Stories Nov. 504/1 page image Ed Earl Repp bibliography

    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.

  • 1938 R. Z. Gallun Hotel Cosmos in Astounding Science-Fiction 145/2 page image Raymond Z. Gallun bibliography

    Few extra[-] terrestrial creatures possessed the natural capacity to reproduce the sounds of human speech.

  • 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 Somtow Sucharitkul bibliography

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

  • 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.

  • 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
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
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.