terra

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   earth, land, or solid ground, especially in the Latin expression terra firma

   After six weeks at sea, the crew were relieved to stand on terra firma.

2. 2
   noun

   in planetary geography, a large continent-like highland region on a planet or moon

   Arabia Terra is an extensive upland region in the northern hemisphere of Mars.

Borrowed from Latin terra, 'earth, land, dry ground,' also personified as the Roman earth goddess. English retains it chiefly in Latin expressions such as terra firma and in formal place-names used for continent-like regions on planets and moons.

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