| Definition | unable to leave the planet Earth |
| OED requirements | antedating 1937 |
| Earliest cite | E.E. Smith, 'Galactic Patrol' |
| Comment | Suggested by Randy Hoffman
Fred Galvin submitted a 1963 cite from the title of the story "Earthbound', by Lester Del Rey. The OED entry has figurative cites for "earth-bound", but none in the literal, SF sense. |
| Last modified | 10 December, 2009 |
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| 1950 M. Lesser All Heroes Are Hated! in Amazing Stories Nov. 18/2 | In the beginning, a few of the starmen tried, but they were blasted out of space. We're earthbound. The whole culture is earthbound, with nothing to do. It's as if the stars don't exist. And we're going backwards. It's hard to see in ten years, but with all this unemployment, all the discontent—earth is on the way down. |
| 1968 S. E. Whitfield in S. E. Whitfield & G. Roddenberry Making of ‘Star Trek’ ii. viii. 252 | Her life at present is a battle between her female need for the pleasant routine of Earthbound home and family versus the personal challenge of starship life and continued new worlds to conquer. |
| 1984 R. Silverberg Waiting for Earthquake in R. Silverberg Conglomeroid Cocktail Party (1984) 199–200 | Paul, tough old indestructible Paul, had panicked over the thought that the earthquake was only a decade away, and between Darkday and Dimday of Christmas week had packed up and boarded an Earthbound ship. |
| 1988 R. Silverberg We are for Dark in Coll. Stories (1993)II. 324, | I have no regret over remaining Earthbound: far from it! Earth is our great mother. Earth is the mother of us all. Troubled as she is, blighted as she now may be, dying, even, I am content to stay here, and more than content. |
| 1990 G. Bear Queen of Angels (1991) i.iv. 18, | I assume my earthbound twin is interpreting these bursts adequately, politely, suavely. |
| 1995 C. Carter Truth is out There: Official Guide to The X Files Introd. 4 | Aside from its genre's mixed track record, The X-Files was set to air on Friday—a night when many of the young adults and teenagers who would naturally comprise the core audience for such a program were likely to be out pursuing other, more earthbound forms of recreation. |