meteoroid

noun

me·​te·​or·​oid ˈmē-tē-ə-ˌrȯid How to pronounce meteoroid (audio)
1
: a meteor particle itself without relation to the phenomena it produces when entering the earth's atmosphere
2
: a meteor in orbit around the sun
meteoroidal adjective

Examples of meteoroid in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Our hype glances off it and does less than the tiniest meteoroid. Kaitlyn Tiffany, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026 If meteoroids survive their trip to Earth without burning up in the atmosphere, they are called meteorites, NASA says. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 2 Jan. 2026 The debris — small rocks known as meteoroids — collides with Earth's atmosphere at high speed and disintegrates, creating fiery and colorful streaks in the sky, according to NASA. Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 27 Dec. 2025 However, the meteors that will be visible are decidedly brighter than during the early stages of the display, probably because smaller meteoroids dominate at the beginning, but larger particles trail behind toward the end. Joe Rao, Space.com, 7 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for meteoroid

Word History

First Known Use

1865, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of meteoroid was in 1865

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Meteoroid.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/meteoroid. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

meteoroid

noun
me·​te·​or·​oid ˈmēt-ē-ə-ˌrȯid How to pronounce meteoroid (audio)
: a meteor revolving around the sun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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