martian

martian — noun

IPA/ˈmɑː.ʃən/
KK[mˈɑrʃən]IPA/ˈmɑːr.ʃən/
  • martiansingular
  • martiansplural

1. A fictional being from the planet Mars, often shown in science‑fiction stories a

1.nounB1
Definition

A fictional being from the planet Mars, often shown in science‑fiction stories and movies.

Example

The children befriend a lonely Martian named Zork who crash‑lands on Earth.

Apinya drew a picture of a green Martian with three eyes for her school project.

Martian + colour adjective (green)

Common collocations
  • green Martian
  • friendly Martian
  • hostile Martian
  • little green men
Synonyms
  • alien

    broader term — any life from outside Earth, not specifically Mars

  • extraterrestrial

    more formal and scientific; can be a noun or adjective

  • space creature

    informal and vague; does not specify a home planet

Grammar Patterns

a/an + Martian

the Martians (plural form)

Usage Note

Only used for fictional or hypothetical beings from Mars. In scientific literature, the phrase 'possible past or present life on Mars' is preferred over the noun 'Martians.'

Common Mistakes

The scientists discovered Martians on a distant planet.
The scientists discovered alien life on a distant planet.
Martians specifically come from Mars; for beings of unknown origin, use 'aliens' or 'extraterrestrials.'

martian — adjective

IPA/ˈmɑːʃn/
KK[mˈɑrʃən]IPA/ˈmɑːrʃn/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Martian refers specifically to a being from the planet Mars, while alien is the broadest term — it covers any life form originating outside Earth, regardless of which planet or galaxy it comes from. Extraterrestrial is more formal and scientific; it can be used both as a noun and an adjective, and it carries no fictional or pop-culture overtones. Space creature is an informal, catch-all phrase that does not specify a home world and is mostly used in casual conversation or children's stories. For example, saying 'the film features friendly Martians' tells the audience the beings are from Mars, whereas 'the film features friendly aliens' could mean beings from anywhere in the universe.

alien ↗extraterrestrial ↗space creature

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • Martian invasion
  • little green men

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Comes from Mars, the name of the red planet (taken from the Roman god of war) combined with the suffix -ian, meaning 'belonging to' or 'relating to.' First used in English during the 14th century to describe things associated with the god Mars. The modern sense, referring to the planet and its imagined inhabitants, became common in the late 1800s as science fiction grew in popularity.