extraterrestrial object
1
7.2
- noun
- /ˌɛkstrətəˈrɛstrɪəl ˈɑbdʒɛkt/
:
objeto extraterrestre
Examples
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Meteorites are by definition extraterrestrial objects that landed on Earth.
Blog text (20) -
Astronomers discovered a new extraterrestrial object orbiting a distant star.
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Meteorites, which are extraterrestrial objects, provide valuable information about the formation of our solar system.
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The scientist collected samples from the extraterrestrial object that fell to Earth last week.
Synonyms
13
6.9
A planet like Earth that moves around a star outside our solar system
5
4.4
A natural object in space like a star or planet that you can see in the sky
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is a straightforward composition of 'extraterrestrial' (originating beyond Earth) and 'object' (a thing), so a learner who knows both words can directly infer 'a thing existing outside Earth/its atmosphere.' The adjective+noun pattern is a standard, cross-linguistically common construction, making the phrase immediately comprehensible to B1 learners who know the constituents.
Etymology
Extraterrestrial object comes from two parts: extra meaning 'outside' and terrestrial meaning 'of the Earth'. So, the phrase gives the image of something that is literally 'outside the Earth', which is why we use it for natural things from space like meteorites.