falling star

American  

noun

1. an incandescent meteor; a shooting star.

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falling star British  

noun

1. an informal name for meteor

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Etymology

Origin of falling star

First recorded in 1555–65

Example Sentences

One of the saddest moments is fleeting, when Morse catches a falling star . . . violinist.

From Salon • Jun. 18, 2023

Every once in a while when you’re at the Hollywood Bowl during a summer evening, you might just see a falling star.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2022

Not everything that streaks across the night sky is a falling star.

From New York Times • Oct. 29, 2020

Sometimes an agency doesn’t decline from the zenith like a falling star, but its reputation slouches, bit by bit, toward mediocrity.

From Slate • May 6, 2020

They called it a falling star, but it is not a good name: the old stars are still there after the falling star falls.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan