meteor

noun

me·​te·​or ˈmē-tē-ər 

-ˌȯr

1

: an atmospheric phenomenon (such as lightning or a snowfall)

2

a

: any of the small particles of matter in the solar system that are directly observable only by their incandescence from frictional heating on entry into the atmosphere

b

: the streak of light produced by the passage of a meteor

Examples of meteor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On the dusty backroads of Radiator Springs, where Lightning McQueen and his pals live, a shower of meteors threatened to bring destruction upon the quarter-size cars in a scene that disaster movie king Roland Emmerich would endorse. —Sandra Gonzalez, CNN Money, 19 June 2026

The shower's radiant — the point from which the meteors appear to originate — lies in the constellation Boötes, which sits high in the western and southwestern sky during the evening for observers in the Northern Hemisphere. —Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 19 June 2026

Each meteor was classified based on 13 properties, including its speed, brightness and its height. —Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 17 June 2026

Comets, though typically found in the outer solar system, can also cause meteors, and even meteor showers. —Adam Lark, The Conversation, 16 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English metheour, from Middle French meteore, from Medieval Latin meteorum, from Greek meteōron, from neuter of meteōros high in air, from meta- + -eōros, from aeirein to lift

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing meteor

• meteor shower

Kids Definition

meteor

noun

me·​te·​or ˈmēt-ē-ər 

-ē-ˌȯ(ə)r

: one of the small bodies of matter in the solar system observable when it falls into the earth's atmosphere where the heat of friction may cause it to glow brightly for a short time

also : the streak of light produced by the passage of a meteor