Like many semi-common Latin terms, "terra firma" is formal and serious. And unlike rarer, more exotic Latin terms, it's pretty easy to understand. So feel free to throw it into your speech and writing when you want to sound a little fancy or academic.

In a literal sense, you could talk about people being on terra firma, as opposed to being in the air, on the water, or in orbit or space.

But all the fun is in the figurative sense!

You might talk about a person standing on (or approaching, or slipping off, or departing from) terra firma while making an argument, making a case, advocating for a policy, or otherwise trying to persuade others. 

Or, you might talk about a person seeking, finding, or staying on terra firma—or failing to—while trying to understand some complex topic or master some difficult skill.

Or, you might talk about some idea, proposal, or creative work (like a poem, a play, or a film) standing on some specific terra firma: "The poem stays on the terra firma of happy memory;" "The film frequently leaves the terra firma of reality."

"Visitors can experience what it's like to be an astronaut while staying on terra firma in Spaceport America's G-Shock trainer." 
 — Ashley Winchester, New York Times, 2 July 2015

"[The painter Amy Sherald] speaks of her career as a search for her own Americanness... Now that people are listening, her figures of silence are entering into the world, living not just in a dreamscape of brilliant color but on terra firma. And that ground seems to be America."
   — Philip Kennicott, Washington Post, 14 May 2018

has this page helped you understand "terra firma"?

Awesome, I'm glad it helped!

Thanks for letting me know!
If you have any questions about this term, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.

study it:

Explain the meaning of "terra firma" without saying "solid ground" or "strong basis."

try it out:

Here's Michael Shulman for the New Yorker:

"I’ve noticed a common thread [in theater productions]. It's the theme of terra firma not being so firma—of finding cracks in a foundation you thought was rock solid, whether the U.S. Constitution, a time-tested love story, or memory itself."

Talk about what he means. In a story, what does it mean for "terra firma [to be] not so firma"? Could you give an example?

If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.)

before you review, play:

Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out.

Our game for this month is Confounding Contronyms!

In each issue, I'll give you two quotes, each with a blank. The same word goes in both blanks—but it means opposite things. Your job is to come up with that word: that slippery little contronym. To see the hints, highlight the hidden white text. To see the answer, scroll to the bottom.

Try this today:

Quote 1: "Adell _____ out swinging, ending the inning."
   — Staff, Associated Press, 26 May 2024

Quote 2: "Another arrow _____ the hat as it sailed and pinned it into the dirt."
   — Daniel Nayeri, The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams, 2023

Hint 1: This word starts with the letter... S.

Hint 2: This word means both... "failed to hit" and "hit."

review this term:

1. Near opposites of TERRA FIRMA are

A. PERMISSION and CARTE BLANCHE.
B. DISCOURAGEMENT and DETERRENCE.
C. SHAKY GROUND and TERRA INCOGNITA.

2. In fantasy stories like Luca and Emily Windsnap, characters _____ but _____ on terra firma.

A. turn into sea creatures in water .. resume human form
B. grapple with dragons externally .. struggle with self-knowledge
C. long for the comfort of home .. seek adventure in the wide world

Answers to the review questions: 1. C 2. A From the game: struck.

a final word:

I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog: On vocabulary...       36 ways to study words.       Why we forget words, & how to remember them.       How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. On writing...       How to improve any sentence.       How to motivate our kids to write.       How to stop procrastinating and start writing.       How to bulk up your writing when you have to meet a word count. From my heart: a profound thanks to the generous patrons, donors, and sponsors that make it possible for me to write these emails. If you'd like to be a patron or a donor, please click here. If you'd like to be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. A disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.