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

They were also found in samples from asteroid Bennu, which were brought to Earth in 2023, as well as in the Murchison meteorite collected from Australia in 1969 and the Orgueil meteorite collected from France in 1864. —Devika Rao, TheWeek, 24 Mar. 2026

Without tectonic plates, the moon's tremors are driven by tidal forces from Earth, meteorite impacts and extreme temperature swings as the lunar surface heats and cools. —Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 24 Mar. 2026

If a meteor survives the entry and ends up on the ground (or lodged in someone's roof), it is then called a meteorite. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 24 Mar. 2026

Over the past week, three meteorites have been spotted across the country — including one in Ohio, another in Houston and now the latest over California's Central Valley. —Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026

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