How did Earth get its name?

Answer 1

The name "Earth" is derived from both English and German words, 'eor(th)e/ertha' and 'erde', respectively, which mean ground. But, the handle's creator is unknown. One interesting fact about its name: Earth is the only planet that wasn't named after a Greek or Roman god or goddess. For example, Saturn was named after the Roman god of agriculture, and Jupiter's name comes from the King of the Roman gods.

Answer 2

The word Earth comes from Old English: eorðe "ground, soil, dry land," and is also used (along with middangeard) for "the (material) world" (as opposed to the heavens or the underworld).

Eorðe is from Proto-Germanic *ertho (compare with Old Norse: jörð, Middle-Dutch: eerde, Old High German: erda, Gothic: airþa).

*ertho is from Proto-Indo-European base *er-.

The earth considered as a planet was so called from circa 1400. Earthy in the figurative sense of "coarse, unrefined" is from 1594. Earthworm is first attested 1591. Earthwork is from 1633. Earthlight apparently coined 1833 by British astronomer John Herschel.

Answer 3

The word comes from Middle English "erthe", from Old English "eorthe"; akin to Old High German "erda" - earth, Greek "era"

Answer 4

'Terra' is the Latin word for the world. 'Earth' originally meant dirt or soil.

HTH ☺


Doug