Meteor
['miːtɪə;-tɪɔː] or ['mitɪɚ]
Definition
(noun.) a streak of light in the sky at night that results when a meteoroid hits the earth's atmosphere and air friction causes the meteoroid to melt or vaporize or explode.
Edited by Francine--From WordNet
Definition
(n.) Any phenomenon or appearance in the atmosphere, as clouds, rain, hail, snow, etc.
(n.) Specif.: A transient luminous body or appearance seen in the atmosphere, or in a more elevated region.
Checker: Micawber
Definition
n. one of numberless small bodies travelling through space continually being encountered by the earth on its orbital path and then revealed to our observation as aerolites fire-balls or shooting-stars: formerly used of any appearance in the atmosphere as clouds rain: (fig.) anything that for a time dazzles or strikes with wonder.—adj. Meteor′ic pertaining to or consisting of meteors: proceeding from a meteor: flashing like a meteor: influenced by the weather.—ns. Mē′teorograph an instrument by which several meteorological elements are recorded in combination; Meteor′olite Mē′teorite a meteoric stone.—adjs. Meteorolog′ic -al.—ns. Meteorol′ogist; one skilled in meteorology; Meteorol′ogy that department of physics which treats of the phenomena of the atmosphere as regards weather and climate.—adj. Mē′tēorous (Milt.) having the nature of a meteor.—Meteoric iron iron as found in meteoric stones; Meteoric showers showers of meteors or shooting-stars; Meteoric Stones aerolites.
Typist: Stephanie
Examples
- The Electric Light is the brightest meteor that has flashed across the horizon of promise during the present century. Frederick C. Bakewell. Great Facts.
- The golden secretary darted through the room like a meteor with a dashing French-woman who carpeted the floor with her pink satin train. Louisa May Alcott. Little Women.
- The time occupied by the apparition of these meteors was comparatively short; suddenly the three mock suns united in one, and plunged into the sea. Mary Shelley. The Last Man.
- Comets, meteors, an d eclipses were considered as omens portending pestilence, national disaster, or the fate of kings. Walter Libby. An Introduction to the History of Science.
- They were not meteors; they were too low. Charles Dickens. The Pickwick Papers.
- Then the moons come; the mysterious, magic moons of Mars, hurtling like monster meteors low across the face of the planet. Edgar Rice Burroughs. The Gods of Mars.
Inputed by Hahn