meteoric

adjective

me·​te·​or·​ic ˌmē-tē-ˈȯr-ik 

-ˈär-

1

a

: of or relating to a meteor

b

: resembling a meteor in speed or in sudden and temporary brilliance

a meteoric rise to fame

2

: of, relating to, or derived from the earth's atmosphere

meteoric water

meteorically

ˌmē-tē-ˈȯr-i-k(ə-)lē 

-ˈär-

adverb

Examples of meteoric in a Sentence

a meteoric rise to fame

Recent Examples on the Web

Mix water vapor with meteoric dust and very cold temperatures, and the result can be noctilucent clouds. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025

Syrian business owners who for years worked around sanctions to turn a profit by hook or by crook are now eyeing a meteoric rise. —Taylor Luck, Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2025

The tech sector, which saw a meteoric rise in recent years, has been subject to bouts of volatility this year. —Michelle Fox, CNBC, 21 May 2025

The chart above uses available NOAA data to show a meteoric rise in catastrophic events, largely due to severe storms like the ones currently hitting the South and Midwest. —Jeremy Ney, Time, 21 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1785, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for meteoric

• anaphoric
• metaphoric
• paregoric
• prehistoric
• pyrophoric
• boric
• chloric
• doric
• toric
• caloric
• dysphoric
• euphoric

Kids Definition

meteoric

adjective

me·​te·​or·​ic ˌmēt-ē-ˈȯr-ik 

-ˈär-

1

: of or relating to a meteor

a meteoric shower

2

: resembling a meteor in speed or in sudden and temporary brilliance

a meteoric rise to fame

meteorically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb