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

In addition to the Lyrids, there is also a possibility — albeit quite small — of sighting a brilliant fireball meteor that perhaps is even capable of dropping a meteorite. —Joe Rao, Space.com, 6 Apr. 2025

The first compound the team discovered in the Bennu sample was sodium carbonate, which had never been observed before in any other asteroid or meteorite. —Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 29 Jan. 2025

Some if not all of the delicate salts found at Bennu — similar to what's in the dry lakebeds of California's Mojave Desert and Africa's Sahara — would be stripped away if present in falling meteorites. —CBS News, 29 Jan. 2025

And just how common is a meteorite crashing down to Earth? How often do meteorites hit Earth? —Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY, 23 Jan. 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