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extraterrestre

extraterrestrial, alien

adjective noun ex-trah-ter-RES-treh Rare
Mind & Emotions Attitudes

Origin: From Latin extra (outside) + terrestris (of the earth).

Usage Note

Extraterrestre functions as both adjective (un essere extraterrestre) and noun (un extraterrestre). As a noun it is masculine by default but can be feminine (un'extraterrestre) when referring to a female alien in fiction. The word is invariable in gender as an adjective: vita extraterrestre (m/f). The abbreviated colloquial form ET (from the film) is also widely understood.

Examples

"Il film racconta la storia di un extraterrestre amichevole."

Natural Translation

The film tells the story of a friendly extraterrestrial.

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