earthlyearthbound; worldly: earthly goods; mortal; mundane: earthly affairsNot to be confused with:earthy ? unrefined: an earthy smell; realistic; practical; lusty: Mae West was known for her earthy sense of humor.Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embreeearth·ly (ûrth?l?)adj.1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of this earth.2. a. Terrestrial; not heavenly or divine: earthly existence.b. Worldly: earthly delights; one’s earthly possessions.3. Conceivable; possible: no earthly meaning whatever.earth?li·ness n.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.earthly (????l?) adj, -lier or -liest1. of or characteristic of the earth as opposed to heaven; material or materialistic; worldly2. (usually used with a negative) informal conceivable or possible; feasible (in such phrases as not an earthly (chance), etc) ?earthliness nCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014earth?ly (??r? li) adj. -li?er, -li?est. 1. of or pertaining to the earth, esp. as opposed to heaven; worldly. 2. possible or conceivable: an invention of no earthly use to anyone. [before 1000] earth?li?ness, n. syn: earthly, terrestrial, worldly, mundane refer to that which is concerned with the earth literally or figuratively. earthly now almost always implies a contrast to that which is heavenly: earthly pleasures; our earthly home. terrestrial applies to the earth as a planet or to land as opposed to water: the terrestrial globe; terrestrial areas. worldly is commonly used in the sense of being devoted to the vanities, cares, advantages, or gains of physical existence to the exclusion of spiritual interests or the afterlife: worldly success; worldly standards. mundane is a formal equivalent of worldly and suggests that which is bound to the earth, is not exalted, and therefore is commonplace: mundane pursuits. Random House Kernerman Webster’s College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.