meteor

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noun me·te·or \ ˈmē-tē-ər , -ˌȯr \

Definition of meteor

1 :an atmospheric phenomenon (such as lightning or a snowfall)

2 a :any of the small particles of matter in the solar system that are directly observable only by their incandescence from frictional heating on entry into the atmosphere

b :the streak of light produced by the passage of a meteor

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Recent Examples of meteor from the Web

After the moon is up, that number drops to about 20 to 30 meteors an hour.

— nicole blanchard, idahostatesman, "Step aside, solar eclipse. This weekend is all about the Perseid meteor shower.," 12 Aug. 2017
For the peak, the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada predicts about 90 meteors an hour, but don’t give yourself false hope.

— blaine friedlander, Washington Post, "Zipping through the heavens, the Perseid meteor shower peaks this weekend," 11 Aug. 2017
If this fight happened two years ago, Golovkin wins in virtually every scenario that doesn’t involved meteors or locusts.

— bryce miller, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Finally, Canelo Alvarez and boxing land much-needed shot," 11 Aug. 2017
The Perseid meteor shower will reach its peak Friday night at midnight, when about 150 meteors per hour are expected, according to a NASA blog post.

— max londberg, kansascity, "Meteor shower will light up the Kansas City sky Friday night and early Saturday," 11 Aug. 2017
Sounds like there could be some ancient belief in a connection between meteors and deep winters.

— jane borden, vanityfair.com, "Game of Thrones: There’s a Scientific Reason for Westeros’s Years-Long Winters," 18 July 2017
Sounds like there could be some ancient belief in a connection between meteors and deep winters.

— jane borden, HWD, "Game of Thrones: There’s a Scientific Reason for Westeros’s Years-Long Winters," 18 July 2017
Fragments of the meteor crashed to Earth, and as a result, people started gaining incredible powers.

— will nevin, OregonLive.com, "Everyone can be a hero: Writer David F. Walker on new Lion Forge series 'Superb' and its protagonist with Down syndrome," 18 July 2017
Because there was nothing other than the fireball reported in the area at the time of the boom, speculation is that the boom was likely a meteor breaking up in the atmosphere, reports TV station WLOS.

— mark price, charlotteobserver, "Dozens report seeing a fireball flying over western NC Thursday night," 14 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'meteor.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of meteor

Middle English metheour, from Middle French meteore, from Medieval Latin meteorum, from Greek meteōron, from neuter of meteōros high in air, from meta- + -eōros, from aeirein to lift

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First Known Use: 15th century

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Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, retrograde, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

METEOR Defined for English Language Learners

meteor

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noun

Definition of meteor for English Language Learners

: a piece of rock or metal that burns and glows brightly in the sky as it falls from outer space into the Earth's atmosphere

METEOR Defined for Kids

meteor

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noun me·te·or \ ˈmē-tē-ər \

Definition of meteor for Students

:one of the small pieces of matter in the solar system that enter the earth's atmosphere where friction may cause them to glow and form a streak of light

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Spanish Central: Translation of meteor Nglish: Translation of meteor for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of meteor for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about meteor

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