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noun Uncommon

meteor

MEE-tih-uh
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Meteor (noun) 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. Example: “We stayed up late to watch meteors streak across the sky during the shower.”

noun
1
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.
"We stayed up late to watch meteors streak across the sky during the shower."
"A bright meteor lit up the horizon for a split second."

How to use meteor

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA "shooting star" — a bright streak of light caused by space debris burning up in the atmosphere.

Common mistake

A meteor is the streak of light you see; if the object survives and lands on Earth, the rock itself is called a meteorite. The object in space before it enters the atmosphere is a meteoroid.

Easily confused with
meteorite → meteoroid →
Common pairings
meteor shower shooting meteor
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Word forms

Plural
meteors
Third person singular
meteors
Past tense
meteored
Test yourself on “meteor” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

We stayed up late to watch _____ streak across the sky during the shower.

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.

Origin: Ancient Greek

Synonyms

View more →
shooting star falling star meteoroid

Related words

comet meteoroid meteoric

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.

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