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meteor

0 antonyms and opposites of meteor, grouped by meaning.

Noun — A streak of light in the night sky caused by a small piece of space debris burning up as it enters Earth’s atmosphere; a shooting star.

How to use meteor

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

meteor shower shooting meteor

Etymology

From Ancient Greek meteoron ("thing high up in the air"), from meta- + aeiro ("to lift, raise"). Originally covered any atmospheric phenomenon, but the everyday sense narrowed to shooting stars.

Full origin of meteor →

Frequently asked questions

What does “meteor” mean?

The word “meteor” means a streak of light in the night sky caused by a small piece of space debris burning up as it enters Earth’s atmosphere; a shooting star. In plain terms, a "shooting star" — a bright streak of light caused by space debris burning up in the atmosphere.

How do you pronounce “meteor”?

“Meteor” is pronounced MEE-tih-uh (/ˈmiːtiɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “meteor” in a sentence?

Here is “meteor” used in a sentence: “We stayed up late to watch meteors streak across the sky during the shower.”

What part of speech is “meteor”?

“Meteor” is a noun.

Where does the word “meteor” come from?

The word “meteor” comes from Ancient Greek. From Ancient Greek meteoron ("thing high up in the air"), from meta- + aeiro ("to lift, raise"). Originally covered any atmospheric phenomenon, but the everyday sense narrowed to shooting stars.

Is “meteor” a common word?

“Meteor” is an uncommon word in modern English.

What is the difference between a meteor, a meteorite, and a meteoroid?

A meteoroid is the piece of space debris before it enters the atmosphere, a meteor is the streak of light produced as that debris burns up entering Earth's atmosphere, and a meteorite is any fragment that survives the fall and reaches the ground. The three terms describe different stages of the same object's journey.

What causes a meteor to glow as it falls?

A meteor glows because the small piece of space debris burns up from friction and heat as it enters Earth's atmosphere at high speed, producing the visible streak of light known as a shooting star.

What is the difference between a meteor and a comet?

A meteor is a brief streak of light caused by debris burning up in Earth's atmosphere, lasting only seconds, while a comet is a much larger body of ice and dust that orbits the sun and can remain visible in the sky for days or weeks.

Nearby words

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.