Perseid

[pur-see-id]

noun

Astronomy.

1. any of a shower of meteors appearing in August and radiating from a point in the constellation Perseus.

Perseid

/ ˈpɜːsɪɪd /

noun

1. any member of a meteor shower occurring annually around August 12th and appearing to radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus

Word History and Origins

Origin of Perseid¹

First recorded in 1870–75; Perseus ( def. ) + -id ¹ ( def. ); modeled on Italian Perseidi (plural), a term coined or used by Giovanni Schiaparelli ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of Perseid¹

C19: from Greek Persēides daughters of _Perseus ¹

Example Sentences

Krupp said the observatory was inundated with questions about how to view the Perseid meteor shower, which peaked overnight and early Wednesday.

From Los Angeles Times

Stargazers will soon be treated to what could be one of the year's most dazzling displays, with the Perseid meteor shower reaching its peak on Tuesday night.

From BBC

“At its best, the Perseid shower delivers between 50 to 100 meteors per hour, but this year far fewer will be seen.”

From Los Angeles Times

Stargazers can cross their fingers for more fireballs, a phenomenon that the Perseid shower is known for, according to NASA.

From Los Angeles Times

Good news for 2026: The forecast for the Perseid meteor shower is excellent.

From Los Angeles Times