meteor
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈmiːtɪ.ə/
ipa: /ˈmiːtɪɔː/
ipa: /ˈmiːtiɚ/
ipa: [ˈmiːɾiɚ]
ipa: /ˈmiːtioɹ/
homophone: meatier
Forms: form: meteors
Etymology: From Middle French météore, from Old French, from Latin meteorum, from Ancient Greek μετέωρον (metéōron), from μετέωρος (metéōros, “raised from the ground, hanging, lofty”), from μετά (metá, “in the midst of, among, between”) (English meta) + ἀείρω (aeírō, “to lift, to heave, to raise up”).
The original sense of “atmospheric phenomenon” gave rise to meteorology, but the meaning of "meteor" is now restricted to extraterrestrial objects burning up as they enter the atmosphere.
Senses: examples: text: Europe, where the Sun dares ſcarce appeare,
For freezing Meteors and congealed cold: […]
ref: c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act I, scene i:
text: The twilight, the meteors call'd fire-balls, or flying dragons, and the northern lights, inhabit the higher regions of the atmosphere.
ref: 1791, Erasmus Darwin, The Economy of Vegetation, J. Johnson, page 10:
text: A meteor in the hazy air / Play’d before his path; / Before him now it roll’d / A globe of livid fire […] Anon to Thalaba it mov’d, / And wrapt him in its pale innocuous fire.
ref: 1801, Robert Southey, “(please specify the page)”, in Thalaba the Destroyer, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] [F]or T[homas] N[orton] Longman and O[wen] Rees, […], by Biggs and Cottle, […], →OCLC:
topics: climatology
meteorology
natural-sciences
glosses: An atmospheric or meteorological phenomenon. These were sometimes classified as aerial or airy meteors (winds), aqueous or watery meteors (hydrometeors: clouds, rain, snow, hail, dew, frost), luminous meteors (rainbows and aurora), and igneous or fiery meteors (lightning and shooting stars).
glosses: A fast-moving streak of light in the night sky caused by the entry of extraterrestrial matter into the earth's atmosphere; a shooting star or falling star.
topics: arts
hobbies
juggling
lifestyle
performing-arts
sports
glosses: A prop similar to poi balls, in that it is twirled at the end of a cord or cable.
topics: government
hobbies
lifestyle
martial-arts
military
politics
sports
war
glosses: A striking weapon resembling a track and field hammer consisting of a weight swung at the end of a cable or chain.
glosses: Any short-lived source of wonderment.
Synonyms: sense: streak of light in night sky
word: falling star
sense: streak of light in night sky
word: shooting star
sense: streak of light in night sky
word: faxed star
sense: streak of light in night sky
word: 🌠︎
Coordinate terms: sense: astronomical phenomenon
word: asteroid
sense: astronomical phenomenon
word: comet
Derived terms: aerometeor
Great Meteor
hydrometeor
lithometeor
megacryometeor
meteor bumper
meteorette
meteor hammer
meteoric
meteorical
meteorism
meteorist
meteorite
meteoritic
meteoriticist
meteoritics
meteorize
meteorlike
meteorograph
meteorography
meteoroid
meteoroidal
meteorolite
meteorology
meteoromancy
meteorometer
meteoroscope
meteoroscopy
meteorosophistical
meteorous
meteor shower
meteor storm
meteor strike
meteory
supermeteor