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Synonyms

shooting star

American  

noun

  1. meteor.

  2. Also called prairie pointer.  Also called American cowslip.  any of several North American plants of the genus Dodecatheon, especially D. meadia, having pink or white flowers with reflexed petals and stamens forming a pointed beak.

shooting star British  

noun

  1. an informal name for meteor

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of shooting star

First recorded in 1585–95

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Shooting star enthusiasts won’t want to miss the Eta Aquarid meteor shower in 2024, as the sky conditions promise to be ideal for the peak of the shower.

From National Geographic • Dec. 6, 2023

"Shooting star again, three points——" "What's that?" roared the commanding officer.

From The Battleship Boys' First Step Upward or, Winning Their Grades as Petty Officers by Patchin, Frank Gee

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.