meteorite

noun

me·​te·​or·​ite ˈmē-tē-ə-ˌrīt 

: a meteor that reaches the surface of the earth without being completely vaporized

meteoritic

ˌmē-tē-ə-ˈri-tik 

adjective

or less commonly meteoritical

ˌmē-tē-ə-ˈri-ti-kəl 

Examples of meteorite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Only about 15 meteorites are discovered in North America per year, according to Sotheby’s. . —Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025

As meteorites bombarded one another in Earth’s early history, a reservoir of these precious metals developed when the core formed about 4.5 billion years ago. —Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 30 May 2025

Such instruments, however, are not available to monitor the skies above the remote regions of the world's oceans where most space junk and meteorites crash to Earth or burn up in the atmosphere. —Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 12 May 2025

In Georgia’s Henry County, officials investigated reports that fragments of a meteorite had crashed through at least one roof, according to Atlanta’s WXIA. —Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for meteorite

• actinolite
• adipocyte
• amphibolite
• anorthosite
• anthophyllite
• aragonite
• carbonatite
• cassiterite
• cristobalite
• crocidolite
• diatomite
• dithionite

Kids Definition

meteorite

noun

me·​te·​or·​ite ˈmēt-ē-ə-ˌrīt 

: a meteor that reaches the surface of the earth