earthly / terrestrial
Loading your saved state.
earthly
Related to the world and human life on Earth; worldly, material. Often used as the opposite of heavenly, divine, or spiritual.
Viele Religionen lehren, dass irdische Güter im Vergleich zum Seelenheil unwichtig sind.
Many religions teach that earthly goods are unimportant compared with salvation of the soul.
terrestrial
Originating from the planet Earth or belonging to Earth. Often used to distinguish something from extraterrestrial or cosmic things.
Die Forscher analysierten das Gestein auf Spuren von nicht-irdischem Leben.
The researchers analyzed the rock for traces of non-terrestrial life.
The adjective 'irdisch' (earthly/terrestrial) is derived directly from the noun 'die Erde' (the Earth). Everything that is 'irdisch' therefore has a direct connection to the planet Earth or to life on Earth.
Die Schwerkraft ist eine irdische Kraft, die alles anzieht.
Gravity is an earthly force that attracts everything.
You can recognize the meaning of 'irdisch' (earthly/terrestrial) from the context. In religious or philosophical texts, it means 'weltlich' (worldly; opposite: 'himmlisch' (heavenly)). In scientific contexts, it means 'von der Erde stammend' (originating from Earth; opposite: 'außerirdisch' (extraterrestrial)).
Für den Mönch waren alle irdischen Vergnügen bedeutungslos.
For the monk, all earthly pleasures were meaningless.
In the meaning of 'weltlich' (worldly) or 'materiell' (material), 'irdisch' (earthly) is often combined with nouns that describe possessions, worries, or joys of life. Typical examples are 'irdische Güter' (earthly goods), 'irdische Sorgen' (earthly worries), or 'das irdische Dasein' (earthly existence).
Er glaubte, dass man sich nicht zu sehr an irdische Güter klammern sollte.
He believed that one should not cling too much to earthly goods.
secular
Both words refer to life outside the religious sphere. Weltlich generally describes a nonreligious or social sphere, while irdisch emphasizes the contrast with the heavenly or human limitations. When talking about everyday life, weltlich is often appropriate; for this contrast, irdisch is more suitable.
Trotz seiner Träume bleibt der Mensch ein irdisches Wesen mit begrenzter Lebenszeit.
Despite his dreams, a human being remains an earthly creature with a limited lifespan.
Sie führt ein weltliches Leben und besucht regelmäßig Konzerte und Cafés.
She leads a secular life and regularly goes to concerts and cafés.
