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


  • 1950 B. I. Kahn Pinch of Culture in Astounding Science Fiction Aug. 85/2 page image Bernard I. Kahn bibliography

    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.

  • 1950 A. Coppel Rebel of Valkyr in Planet Stories Fall 8/1 page image 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.’

  • 1955 A. Norton Star Guard (1973) 140 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.

  • 1956 ‘A. North’ Plague Ship (1959) i. 6

    When he stepped out on its ruby tinted soil this morning no lingering taint off [sic] his off-world orgin [sic] must remain to disgust the sensitive nostrils of the Salariki.

  • 1969 A. Norton Postmarked Stars (1980) 10 Andre Norton

    He was Dane Thorson, acting cargo master of the Queen because Van Ryke, his superior, was off-world and would join them only at the end of this voyage.

  • 1976 C. Holland Floating Worlds (1977) 203 Cecelia Holland bibliography

    In any of the rAkellaron want off-world markets arranged, we have to do it through you, don’t we?

  • 1992 H. Collins Mutagenesis 60

    Were these women capable of recognizing her offworld accent for what it was?

  • 1993 Locus Oct. iv. 59/1

    The offworld Winthrop family finally makes a new expedition to see if Earth is still uninhabitable, as history reports.

  • 2001 Locus June 35/2

    Uncovering the Ila’s past as an offworld fugitive.

  • 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.

  • 2004 P. F. Hamilton 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.

  • 2006 J. McDevitt 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".
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 2021-01-05 19:08:48
In the compilation of some entries, HDSF has drawn extensively on corresponding entries in OED.