meteor
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈmiːtɪ.ə//
- United Kingdom//ˈmiːtɪɔː//
- United States//ˈmiːtiɚ//
- United States/[ˈmiːɾiɚ]/
- United States//ˈmiːtioɹ//
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).
noun
- 1
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).
Europe, where the Sun dares ſcarce appeare, For freezing Meteors and congealed cold: […]
The twilight, the meteors call'd fire-balls, or flying dragons, and the northern lights, inhabit the higher regions of the atmosphere.
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.
- 2
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.
- 3
A prop similar to poi balls, in that it is twirled at the end of a cord or cable.
- 4
A striking weapon resembling a track and field hammer consisting of a weight swung at the end of a cable or chain.
- 5
figurativeAny short-lived source of wonderment.
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.
verb
- 1
To move at great speed.
Forms
- plural
- meteors
- past tense
- meteored
- past participle
- meteored
- present participle
- meteoring
- third person singular
- meteors
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