earthly

earthly
/errth"lee/, adj., earthlier, earthliest.
1. of or pertaining to the earth, esp. as opposed to heaven; worldly.
2. possible or conceivable: an invention of no earthly use to anyone.
[bef. 1000; ME erth(e)ly, OE eorthlic. See EARTH, -LY]
Syn. 1. secular, temporal, mortal. EARTHLY, TERRESTRIAL, WORLDLY, MUNDANE refer to that which is concerned with the earth literally or figuratively. EARTHLY now almost always implies a contrast to that which is heavenly: earthly pleasures; our earthly home. TERRESTRIAL, from Latin, is the dignified equivalent of EARTHLY, and it applies to the earth as a planet or to the land as opposed to the water: the terrestrial globe; terrestrial areas.
WORLDLY is commonly used in the sense of being devoted to the vanities, cares, advantages, or gains of this present life to the exclusion of spiritual interests or the life to come: worldly success; worldly standards. MUNDANE, from Latin, is a formal equivalent of WORLDLY and suggests that which is bound to the earth, is not exalted, and therefore is commonplace: mundane pursuits.
Ant. 1. spiritual, divine.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • earthly — earthly, terrestrial, earthy, mundane, worldly, sublunary are comparable when they mean of, belonging to, or characteristic of the earth. Earthly is used chiefly in opposition to heavenly {earthly love} {the earthly paradise} {if I have told you… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • Earthly — Earth ly, a. 1. Pertaining to the earth; belonging to this world, or to man s existence on the earth; not heavenly or spiritual; carnal; worldly; as, earthly joys; earthly flowers; earthly praise. [1913 Webster] This earthly load Of death, called …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • earthly — [ʉrth′lē] adj. 1. of the earth; specif., a) terrestrial b) worldly c) temporal or secular 2. conceivable; possible [a thing of no earthly good] earthliness n. SYN. EARTHLY is applied to that which belongs to …   English World dictionary

  • Earthly — Earth ly, adv. In the manner of the earth or its people; worldly. [1913 Webster] Took counsel from his guiding eyes To make this wisdom earthly wise. Emerson. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • earthly — (adj.) O.E. eorþlic earthly, worldly; see EARTH (Cf. earth) + LY (Cf. ly) (1) …   Etymology dictionary

  • earthly — [adj1] physically concerning land or its inhabitants alluvial, carnal, corporeal, geotic, global, human, in all creation, material, mortal, mundane, nonspiritual, physical, profane, secular, subastral, sublunary, tellurian, telluric, temporal,… …   New thesaurus

  • earthly — ► ADJECTIVE 1) relating to the earth or human life on the earth. 2) material; worldly. 3) informal used for emphasis; there was no earthly reason to rush. DERIVATIVES earthliness noun …   English terms dictionary

  • earthly — index material (physical), mundane, physical Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • earthly — [[t]ɜ͟ː(r)θli[/t]] 1) ADJ: ADJ n Earthly means happening in the material world of our life on earth and not in any spiritual life or life after death. ...the need to confront evil during the earthly life... They lived in an earthly paradise. 2)… …   English dictionary

  • earthly — earth•ly [[t]ˈɜrθ li[/t]] adj. li•er, li•est 1) of or pertaining to the earth, esp. as opposed to heaven; worldly 2) possible or conceivable: an invention of no earthly use to anyone[/ex] • Etymology: bef. 1000 earth′li•ness, n. syn: earthly,… …   From formal English to slang

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