terr-, terra-, -ter

(Latin: earth, dry land, land)

This unit presents many words that are used in references having to do with earth and land; that is, the loose, fragmented material that composes part of the surface of this planet that we live on.

Don't confuse this element with other words that are spelled in a similar way; such as, terrify, terrible.

terrestrial electricity (s) (noun) (no pl)
A collective term for all natural electrical phenomena of the Earth; geoelectricity: Terrestrial electricity includes atmospheric electricity:
terrestrial energy (s) (noun) (no pl)
Radiant energy emitted by the Earth: Terrestrial energy includes not only the forces and power from the ground, but also the atmosphere of the globe.
terrestrial planet (s)  (noun), terrestrial planets (pl)
Any planet that is near the sun and has a similar size and density: Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are all terrestrial planets and are composed mainly of metals and rocks, in comparison to gas planets.
terrestrial radiation (s)  (noun), terrestrial radiations (pl)
Electromagnetic radiation originating from Earth and its atmosphere: Terrestrial radiation is the total infrared energy emitted by the Earth and its atmosphere and is measured at wavelengths that are determined by their temperature.

Terrestrial radiation is the radiation that is released by naturally occurring radioactive materials in the Earth; such as uranium, thorium, and radon.

terrestrially  (adverb), more terrestrially, most terrestrially
1. Referring to how something occurs in a land environment: Judy learned that an insect can purpate terrestrially on the ground, but not in water.
2.Pertaining to how something takes place or is presented in a worldly manne: When Mr. Globe talked to his class, he spoke quite terrestrially about his journeys and experiences in many different countries in the world
terrestrialness (s) (noun) (no pl)
1. The quality or state of being terrestrial: Jane read about the terrestrialnes of the Earth as comprising the all the land and its inhabitants, but not the organisms living in water.
2. A worldly or mundane character or quality: The terrestrialness of Stella's life could be seen in her ordinary, commonplace, and down-to-earth daily life without any lavishness or unreasonableness.
terrevert, terre-verte (s)  (noun), terreverts; terre-vertes; terres-vertes (pl)
A soft green earth of varying composition used as a pigment: Terre-verte is especially obtained from Italy (Verona), Cyprus, and France.

Terre-verte consists of "celadonite" [green earth of Verona, a hydrous silicate of iron and potassium] or green earth, a variety of "glauconite" [hydrous silicate of iron, potassium, and other bases, commonly called green earth].

terricole (verb), terricoles; terricoled; terricoling
To live on or in soil: Some organisms, like earthworms, terricole most of their active lives in the ground, but not in aquatic regions and not up in the air.
terricoline, terricolous (adjective) (not comparable)
A reference to an organism that spends most of its active life on the ground or in the soil: The mole, a burrowing insectivore, is a good example of a terricoline animal.
terriculture (s) (noun) (no pl)
The cultivation of the ground or earth; terraculture; agriculture: In class, Mr. Tree told the students how important terriculture, or agriculture, was for everybody because otherwise they wouldn't have much to eat at all!
terrier (s) (noun), terriers (pl)
1. Any of several usually small short-bodied breeds of dogs: Terriers were originally trained to hunt animals living underground.
2. Etymology: about 1440, from Old French chien terrier "terrier dog", literally, "earth dog,"

Also from Middle Latin terrarius "of earth,"

Additionally from Latin terra "earth". So called because the dogs pursued their quarry (foxes, badgers, etc.) into their burrows.

terrigenous (adjective) (not comparable)
1. Regarding something that has been derived from the land: Terrigenous geological deposits were formed in the ocean from substances obtained from the land by erosive action.
2 Concerning something produced by the land: Brown clay is a kind of marine sediment, mainly of terrigenous origin, and is composed largely of four different clay minerals.
terriginous (noun) (not comparable)
Earth-born; derived from the land: Terriginous sediments are those that come directly from the ocean, but originate from the crushing and shattering of rocks on the surface of the Earth.
terrine (s) (noun), terrines (pl)
1. An earthenware dish for cooking and serving food: The oval terrine that Jane's grandmother used was made of pottery and was deep enough for a casserole.
2. A food dish cooked in a deep pot or pan: Mary's father made a terrine, or pâté, and even served it in a terrine!
territorial (adjective), more territorial, most territorial
1. Of or relating to the geographic area under a given jurisdiction: In class, Alice learned about the territorial limits of her country, that meant where the country's boundaries ended. .
2. Relating or restricted to a particular area; regional: The territorial court where Jim's father worked was in the next larger town.

Cross references of word families related directly, or indirectly, to: "land, ground, fields, soil, dirt, mud, clay, earth (world)": agra-; agrest-; agri-; agro-; argill-; choro-; chthon-; epeiro-; geo-; glob-; lut-; myso-; pedo-; pel-; rhyp-; soil-; sord-.