off-world adj.
of or relating to another world; originating from or located in a place outside one’s native world or planet
SF Encyclopedia
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1950 Pinch of Culture in Astounding Science Fiction Aug. 85/2
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Bernard I. Kahn
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The Ermesian vessel was much closer now. A ship with a weapon this far out meant an off-world patrol. Planets not expecting trouble would have no reason for watchful expectancy. So they were expecting him, he guessed.
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1950 Rebel of Valkyr in Planet Stories Fall 8/1
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Alfred Coppel
Landor ignored the thrust. ‘Where do you go now, Valkyr?’ ‘Off-world.’ ‘Of course,’ Landor smiled thinly, his eyebrows arching over pale, shrewd eyes. ‘Off-world.’
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1955 Star Guard x. 133
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Andre Norton
There is a space port near the Venturi holdings at Po’ult… There is no regular schedule of ships, but off-world traders do come.
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1956 Plague Ship i. 10
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Andre Norton
Andrew North
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When he stepped out on its ruby tinted soil this morning no lingering taint of his off-world origin must remain to disgust the sensitive nostrils of the Salariki.
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1976 Floating Worlds (1977) 203
Cecelia Holland
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In any of the rAkellaron want off-world markets arranged, we have to do it through you, don’t we?
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1992 Mutagenesis 60
Were these women capable of recognizing her offworld accent for what it was?
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1993 Locus Oct. . 59/1
The offworld Winthrop family finally makes a new expedition to see if Earth is still uninhabitable, as history reports.
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2001 Locus June 35/2
Uncovering the Ila’s past as an offworld fugitive.
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2003 Dreamwatch Aug. 8/1
The season’s 14th and 15th episodes see Fraiser shot and killed while trying to save an SGC member during an off-world fire fight.
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2004 Pandora's Star iv. 93
Peter F. Hamilton
Walking to the top of Herculaneum was another of Far Away’s principal tourist attractions. It wasn’t difficult, the slopes weren’t particularly steep, and the low gravity gave offworld visitors an easy time of it.
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2006 Odyssey xxv. 221
Jack McDevitt
Biologists, delighted with the opportunity to study off-world life, had lined up for assignment, and Cephei III had continued to receive researchers ever since.
Research requirements
antedating 1950
Earliest cite
B. I. Kahn, in Astounding
Research History
Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1957 reprint of Andre Norton's 1955 "Sargasso of Space".Mike Christie submitted a cite from a 1984 reprint of Andre Norton's 1957 "Star Born".
Douglas Winston submitted a cite from a 1973 reprint of Andre Norton's 1955 "Star Guard"; Jesse Sheidlower verified it in the 1955 first printing.
Fred Galvin submitted a 1950 cite from Bernard I. Kahn's "A Pinch of Culture" Added to the OED in March 2004 with an earliest date of 1956.
Last modified 2026-01-05 19:46:58
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