adjective
-
of, formed by, or relating to meteors
-
like a meteor in brilliance, speed, or transience
-
rare of or relating to the weather; meteorological
Other Word Forms
- meteorically adverb
- nonmeteoric adjective
- nonmeteorically adverb
Etymology
Origin of meteoric
From the Medieval Latin word meteōricus, dating back to 1625–35. See meteor, -ic
Explanation
Because meteors move through the sky so quickly, we often refer to something moving very fast as meteoric. A newly-popular singer might be said to experience a meteoric rise to the top. (The fall can be meteoric, too.) The "-ic" suffix on a word creates an adjective meaning "with the characteristics of." So meteoric means “having the characteristics of a meteor.” Both words take their origin from the Greek meteōros, meaning "high up." By the way, a shooting star is meteoric, being a meteor that is burning up as it plunges through the earth's atmosphere.
Vocabulary lists containing meteoric
A Need for Speed: Synonyms for "Fast"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
If I Stay
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
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.
The enterprise market has emerged as a key battleground for dominance among leading AI companies, as Anthropic wowed the market with its meteoric revenue growth in the first few months of 2026.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
At the Brant Foundation, Haring’s meteoric rise—from a graffiti artist decorating empty ad spaces in the subway in 1980 to international stardom by 1984—is recounted through some 50 objects.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026
Of course, those drops have all come after meteoric rises amid the artificial intelligence boom.
From Barron's • Mar. 28, 2026
Brewdog's meteoric ascent from garage start-up to unicorn had been one of Scotland's best and brightest business success stories.
From BBC • Mar. 6, 2026
Dumbledore’s future career seemed likely to be meteoric, and the only question that remained was when he would become Minister of Magic.
From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling
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.
