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meteor

Etymology and origin of the English word meteor

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Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈmiːtɪ.ə/, /ˈmiːtɪɔː/ (UK); /ˈmi.tiɚ/, /ˈmi.tioɹ/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Middle English metheour,[2][3] borrowed from Middle French météore,[2][4][5][3] from Medieval Latin meteōrum,[2][4][5][3][6] from Ancient Greek μετέωρον (metéōron, “thing high up; celestial phenomenon”),[2][4][5][3][6] the neuter of metéōros “raised high in the air”,[2][4][5][3][6] from meta- and -aoros “lifted”, related to aeírein “to lift”.[2][4][5][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Any atmospheric phenomenon (1471).[7][4][5]

Semantic evolution

Atmospheric phenomena were formerly classed as aerial meteors (winds), aqueous meteors (rain, snow, hail), luminous meteors (rainbows, aurora) and igneous meteors (lightning, shooting stars).[7][5] The modern spelling appeared in 1576,[4] and the specific sense of a fiery streak in the sky, a shooting star, is from the 1590s.[7][4][5] The older general sense survives in meteorology.[5][6] Figuratively a meteor is someone or something that rises to fame with spectacular speed.[6][7]

Timeline

  • 1471 – any atmospheric phenomenon.[7][4]
  • 1576 – the spelling meteor.[4]
  • 1590 – a shooting star; figurative use.[4][7]
  • before 1631 – meteoric, lofty.[4]
  • 1834 – meteorite.[4]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. A bright streak of light in the sky produced when a meteoroid is heated to incandescence by friction with the Earth's atmosphere; a shooting star.
  2. A meteoroid that has entered the Earth's atmosphere.
  3. A person or thing that rises to prominence with spectacular speed.
  4. (formerly) Any atmospheric phenomenon, such as hail or lightning.

Word family

  • meteoric
  • meteorite
  • meteoritics
  • meteoroid

Usage notes

Wiktionary notes that a meteor should not be confused with the meteoroid that causes it, the meteorite that may reach the ground, or with an asteroid or comet.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (1992), 3rd ed., Boston: Houghton Mifflin
  3. ^ a b c d e f Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Barnhart, Robert K., ed. (1995), The Barnhart Concise Dictionary of Etymology, New York: HarperCollins
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas, Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d e Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary (1999), 2nd ed., New York: Random House
  7. ^ a b c d e f Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Meteor.” Etymologically, 11 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/meteor. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·