meteorite

American  

[mee-tee-uh-rahyt] / ˈmi ti əˌraɪt /

noun

1. a mass of stone or metal that has reached the earth from outer space; a fallen meteoroid.

2. a meteoroid.

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meteorite British  

/ ˌmiːtɪəˈrɪtɪk, ˈmiːtɪəˌraɪt /

noun

1. a rocklike object consisting of the remains of a meteoroid that has fallen on earth. It may be stony (chondrite), iron, or stony iron (pallasite) See chondrite

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meteorite Scientific  

/ mē′tē-ə-rīt′ /

1. A meteor that reaches the Earth's surface because it has not been burned up by friction with the atmosphere. Meteorites are believed to be fragments of comets and asteroids.

2. ◆ Meteorites that consist mostly of silicates are called stony meteorites and are classified as either chondrites or achondrites.

3. ◆ Meteorites that consist mostly of iron are called iron meteorites.

4. ◆ Meteorites that consist of a mixture of silicates and iron are called stony-iron meteorites.

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Other Word Forms

• meteorital adjective
• meteoritic adjective
• meteoritical adjective

Etymology

Origin of meteorite

First recorded in 1815–25; meteor + -ite ¹

Example Sentences

The early Earth's makeup can be explained mostly as a mix of known meteorite types.

From Science Daily

The researchers analyzed more than 400 samples, ranging from modern plants and animals to billion-year-old fossils and meteorites.

From Science Daily

The team concluded that the object responsible was a meteorite rather than a comet.

From Science Daily

"Our model ties together two things that didn't seem to fit before -- the isotopic fingerprints in meteorites, which come in two flavors, and the dynamics of planet formation," Srivastava explained.

From Science Daily

"If I found this sample, I would say this is from a meteorite," Sharp said during the conference.

From Science Daily