< Back
meteor
Definition
A meteor is a piece of rock or metal that enters Earth's atmosphere from space. When a meteor enters Earth's atmosphere, it heats up and glows. This is called a shooting star.
Most meteors burn up completely in the atmosphere and never reach the ground. However, if a meteor is large enough, it can survive the trip through the atmosphere and land on the ground. This is called a meteorite.
Meteorites can be very small or very large. The largest meteorite ever found on Earth is the Hoba meteorite, which weighs over 60 tons!
Meteorites are very valuable to scientists. They can learn a lot about the formation of the solar system by studying meteorites.
How can the word be used?
A meteor streaked across the night sky.
Different forms of the word
Noun: A small body of rock or metal that enters Earth's atmosphere from space and vaporises due to friction.
Adjective: Relating to or caused by meteors.
Verb: To be or become a meteor.
Etymology
The word "meteor" comes from the Greek word "meteoros", which means "high in the air" or "lofty". The Greek word "meteoros" is derived from the word "meteĊros", which means "to rise up".
The literal meaning of the word "meteor" is "something that rises up in the air". This is because meteors are small bodies of rock or metal that enter Earth's atmosphere from space and vaporise due to friction.
Question
What is a meteor?