How to pronounce terrestrial
Say it like tuh-RES-tree-ul. Terrestrial has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (RES).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce terrestrial. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- tuh
- RES
- tree
- ul
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Terrestrial pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- tuhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- RESSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
- treeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- ulKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of terrestrial
American and British speakers say terrestrial in essentially the same way: /təˈrɛstriəl/ in the US and /tɪˈrɛstrɪəl/ in the UK.
British respelling: tih-RES-trih-ul.
What does terrestrial mean?
- A ground-dwelling plant.
- Alternative letter-case form of Terrestrial (“Inhabitant of Earth”).
- Of or relating to the Earth or its (native) inhabitants.
- Of, relating to, or composed of land or earth, as contrasted with bodies of water, with wetlands viewed as semiaquatic environs, or with aerial or space environs.
- Living or growing in or on land (as opposed to other habitats or substrates).“a terrestrial plant”
Where does terrestrial come from?
From Middle English terrestrialle, from terrestre or Latin terrestris, from terra (“land, earth, ground”), with the suffix -al.
Similar and opposite words
Opposite meaning
Questions about saying terrestrial
How do you pronounce terrestrial?
Say tuh-RES-tree-ul. The American pronunciation is /təˈrɛstriəl/. In British English it is /tɪˈrɛstrɪəl/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in terrestrial?
Terrestrial has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (RES). Broken into parts: tuh · RES · tree · ul.
Do Americans and Brits say terrestrial the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /təˈrɛstriəl/ and the British form is /tɪˈrɛstrɪəl/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.