terra firma

Etymology

Latin terra (“land”) + firma (“solid”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /tɛɹəˈfɜːmə/

Noun

terra firma (uncountable)

1. Continental land, as distinguished from islands.
2. (colloquial) Land, as opposed to water or air.
   • 1960, P. G. Wodehouse, Jeeves in the Offing, chapter VII:

     I stood outside the door for a space, letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”, as Jeeves tells me cats do in adages, then turned the handle softly, pushed – also softly – and, carrying on into the interior, found myself confronted by a girl in housemaid's costume who put a hand to her throat like somebody in a play and leaped several inches in the direction of the ceiling. “Coo!” she said, having returned to terra firma and taken aboard a spot of breath. “You gave me a start, sir!”