terranaut

English

Etymology

From Latin terra (“dry land; soil; Earth”) +‎ -naut.

Noun

terranaut (plural terranauts)

1. (chiefly science fiction) Someone who explores some part of the Earth.
   • 1967, Brian W. Aldiss, “The Night That All Time Broke Out”, in Harlan Ellison, editor, Dangerous Visions, New York: Doubleday & Company, page 166:

     The first terranaut was pulled into view, wearing the characteristic black uniform of his kind. His head lolled back, his mask had been ripped away, but he was fighting bravely to retain consciousness.

   • 2013, Cixin Liu, The Wandering Earth, London: Head of Zeus, published 2017, →ISBN, page unknown:

     By now, the interior of the vessel was entirely weightless. The ship had sunk to a depth of 6,800 kilometers – the planet's deepest point. The last remaining terranaut aboard the Sunset 6 had become the first person to reach the Earth's core.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:terranaut.