off-planet adj.

originating on another planet; located away from a (particular) planet

  • 1945 M. Jameson Lilies of Life in Astounding Science Fiction Feb. 31/1 page image Malcolm Jameson bibliography

    They’ve trebled the offplanet patrol and tightened up on port inspection.

  • 1963 H. B. Piper Space Viking 38 H. Beam Piper bibliography

    The Enterprise carries four pinnaces, the same as the Nemesis; in his place, I’d have at least two of them on off-planet patrol. So let’s accept it that we’ll be detected as soon as we come out of the last jump, and come out with the moon directly between us and the planet.

  • 1982 I. Asimov Foundation’s Edge 194 Isaac Asimov bibliography

    Apparently accustomed to off-planet guests, he had smiled paternally as Trevize and Pelorat gingerly scooped at the steaming bits of meat.

  • 1993 J. Pournelle & S. M. Stirling Prince of Sparta 17 S. M. Stirling Jerry Pournelle bibliography

    They’ve got too much off-planet support.

  • 1993 D. A. Smith In the Cube xvi. 203 David Alexander Smith bibliography

    In the disneys, anyone not a tourist must dress, speak and behave in period fashion… So private security rods, who lived in the Cube like everyone else, donned breeches, long hose…and practiced archaic English, mock-arresting offplanet Tulguts or Adjawi for their podmates’ vids.

  • 2019 ‘J. D. Robb’ Vendetta in Death xiv. 228 Nora Roberts bibliography

    Inside, the dash looked like the pilot’s cabin of a luxury off-planet shuttle.

Research requirements

antedating 1945
Earliest cite

M. Jameson 'Lilies of Life'
Research History
Douglas Winston submitted a 1963 cite from H. Beam Piper's "Space Viking".
Mike Christie submitted a 1945 cite from Malcolm Jameson's "Lilies of Life".
Douglas Winston submitted a 1966 citation from Kris Neville's "The Price of Simeryl".
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a reprint of H. Beam Piper's 1963 "The Cosmic Computer" (aka "Junkyard Planet").
Douglas Winston submitted a cite for "off planet" from a 1985 reprint of Andre Norton's 1955 "Sargasso of Space"; Mike Christie verified this in a 1957 reprint.
Bee Ostrowsky submitted a 2019 cite from J. D. Robb.

Added to the OED in March 2004 with an earliest date of 1966. Updated (date unknown) to the 1945 Jameson quote.

Last modified 2024-11-17 00:09:25
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.