English
meteor
Pronunciation
  • (RP) IPA: /ˈmiːtɪə/, /ˈmiːtɪɔː/
  • (America) IPA: /ˈmitiɚ/, [ˈmiɾiɚ]
Noun

meteor (plural meteors)

  1. 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.
  2. (archaic) Any atmospheric phenomenon. (Thus the derivation of meteorology.) 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).
    • 1801, Robert Southey, Thalaba the Destroyer:
      A meteor in the hazy air
      Play’d before his path;
      Before him now it roll’d
      A globe of livid fire; […]
      And now its wavy point
      Up-blazing rose, like a young cypress-tree
      Sway’d by the heavy wind;
      Anon to Thalaba it mov’d,
      And wrapt him in its pale innocuous fire
  3. (juggling) A prop similar to poi balls, in that it is twirled at the end of a cord or cable.
  4. (martial arts) A striking weapon resembling a track and field hammer consisting of a weight swung at the end of a cable or chain.
  5. (figurative) Any short-lived source of wonderment.
Synonyms Translations Verb

meteor (meteors, present participle meteoring; past and past participle meteored)

  1. (intransitive) To move at great speed.


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