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

There are only about 200 meteorite impact craters found on Earth, according to the Impact Crater database. — Megan Fahrney, ABC News, 24 July 2026

Silver is particularly interesting because it's also found in utterly ancient meteorites called CI chondrites. — Rahul Rao, Space.com, 23 July 2026

What began as a search for hiking routes on Google Maps ended with the possible discovery of what researchers say may one of the largest meteorite impact craters identified in recent years. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 22 July 2026

The meteorite fell in Hillsborough, New Jersey, on July 16, 2024, and is the subject of a recent study published in Science Advances on July 15 — just in time for its two-year anniversary on Earth. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 20 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1811, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for meteorite

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids Definition

meteorite

noun

me·​te·​or·​ite ˈmēt-ē-ə-ˌrīt 

: a meteor that reaches the surface of the earth