me·te·or·ite
ˈmē-tē-ə-ˌrīt 
: a meteor that reaches the surface of the earth without being completely vaporized
me·te·or·it·ic
variants
or meteoritical
: of, relating to, or caused by meteorites
meteoritic crater
meteoritic hypothesis
Examples of meteorite in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Typically, people recover meteorites in geologically unchanging regions, such as deserts or ice fields, where the meteorites stand out against the landscape.
—Adam Lark, The Conversation, 16 June 2026
The meteor — which is thought to be a small chunk of a much larger asteroid — was probably too small and traveled too fast to survive atmospheric entry and instead disintegrated entirely, leaving no parts of it to fall to the ground in the form of meteorites.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 16 June 2026
Three-dimensional tracking of meteors is a game changer, allowing scientists to pinpoint landing sites and retrieve meteorites rapidly after impact, minimizing contamination from our terrestrial environment.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for meteorite
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Noun
Difference from meteorites, meteoroids Rocks in space are known as meteoroids.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 June 2026
Typically, people recover meteorites in geologically unchanging regions, such as deserts or ice fields, where the meteorites stand out against the landscape.
—Adam Lark, The Conversation, 16 June 2026
The meteor — which is thought to be a small chunk of a much larger asteroid — was probably too small and traveled too fast to survive atmospheric entry and instead disintegrated entirely, leaving no parts of it to fall to the ground in the form of meteorites.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 16 June 2026
Three-dimensional tracking of meteors is a game changer, allowing scientists to pinpoint landing sites and retrieve meteorites rapidly after impact, minimizing contamination from our terrestrial environment.
—Phil Plait, Scientific American, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for meteorite
Cite this Entry
“Meteorite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meteorite. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
meteorite
noun
me·te·or·ite
ˈmēt-ē-ə-ˌrīt
: a meteor that reaches the surface of the earth
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