Definition
View the full definition in the Macmillan Dictionary.
Origin and usage
The word earth was inherited from Germanic and is related to similar words in other Germanic languages. The meaning of the planet that we live on was first recorded in Old English.
Examples
Today is #EarthDay, an annual demonstration of support for environmental protection. Since the first Earth Day, which was held in the US in 1970, the event has grown into a global day of action coordinated by the Earth Day Network. Born out of growing concern about the destruction of the natural environment, the first Earth Day had a galvanizing effect, leading before the end of the year to the creation of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air Act. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day and will have climate action as its theme. The day will be marked by hundreds of events around the world, which this year will all be digital because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Quotations
“”
(Wendell Berry)
Related words
Mars, Mercury, Venus
Browse related words in the Macmillan Thesaurus.
