Land is the solid surface of the Earth, the ground beneath our feet that isn't covered by ocean. When explorers sailed across the Atlantic and finally spotted the coastline of a new continent, they would shout “Land ho!” in excitement after weeks of seeing nothing but water.

Land includes everything from sandy deserts to rocky mountains, from grassy plains to frozen tundra. Throughout history, land has been one of humanity's most precious resources. People have always needed land to build homes, grow food, and raise animals. Wars have been fought over who controls particular pieces of land, and explorers risked their lives to discover new lands.

The word also works as a verb meaning to come down onto solid ground. When an airplane lands at the airport, it touches down on the runway. When you jump off a diving board, you land in the water below. A cat that falls off a bookshelf somehow manages to land on its feet.

You might hear someone say they landed a good job, meaning they successfully got it after trying. Or that an idea landed well with an audience, meaning people responded positively to it. In these cases, landing means achieving something or having it be received successfully.