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 July 2002, NASA intern Thad Roberts, his girlfriend of three weeks and another friend stole 17 pounds of moon rocks and a meteorite from Houston’s Johnson Space Center in a daring dead-of-the-night burglary. —Mark Gray, People.com, 11 Aug. 2025

Harris aims to publish a paper detailing the composition of the meteorite along with information about its atmospheric entry later this year. —Anthony Wood, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2025

The paper follows recalculations of the Meteor Crater’s age, which suggest it was formed around 53,000 to 63,000 years ago when a meteorite plummeted to Earth and created a deep pit in the Arizona landscape. —Rosie McCall, Discover Magazine, 21 July 2025

The biggest point of uncertainty, though, is still the meteorites’ age. —Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 14 July 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