meteoric

[mee-tee-awr-ik, -or-]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or consisting of meteors.

2. resembling a meteor in transient brilliance, suddenness of appearance, swiftness, etc..

   his meteoric rise in politics.

3. of or coming from the atmosphere; meteorological.

meteoric

/ ˌmiːtɪˈɒrɪk /

adjective

1. of, formed by, or relating to meteors

2. like a meteor in brilliance, speed, or transience

3. rare,  of or relating to the weather; meteorological

Other Word Forms

• meteorically adverb
• nonmeteoric adjective
• nonmeteorically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of meteoric¹

From the Medieval Latin word meteōricus, dating back to 1625–35. See meteor, -ic

Example Sentences

It would also be a meteoric rise for someone who has only just become chief executive of a publicly traded company.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Tracking the meteoric rise and fall of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll, this electric, eclectic, midcentury biopic impressed critics, shook up the box office and made a star out of Presley proxy Austin Butler.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

There is perhaps no other pop star on this planet who commands an audience like her, and her meteoric rise was both a product and consequence of that.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The next year, a wave of enthusiasm among individual investors like Cheney propelled the stock’s meteoric rise.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Nasdaq, with its meteoric rise as the NYSE’s rival and incubator for generations of high-tech companies, has been at the center of the economy’s booms, and busts, since its inception.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal