Orionids

American

[uh-rahy-uh-nidz, awr-ee-oh-, ohr-] / əˈraɪ ə nɪdz, ˌɔr iˈoʊ-, ˌoʊr- /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

a collection of meteors comprising a meteor shower Orionid meteor shower visible during October, and having its apparent origin in the constellation Orion.

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.

Orionids are known to leave glowing trails that can last seconds or even minutes due to their astounding speed — 41 miles a second, according to the American Meteor Society.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2025

The Orionids are fast-moving meteors travelling at a speed of around 41 miles per second.

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2025

As a result they put on quite a spectacular show, with Orionids being well-known for their vivid colors and zipping speeds.

From Salon • Oct. 18, 2024

The next event is the Orionids, which lasts until about Nov. 22 but reaches its peak tonight, on Friday, Oct.

From New York Times • Oct. 20, 2023

Orionids, named after the constellation Orion because they appear near the cluster of stars that make up Orion’s Belt, are fragments of space debris and dust trails from Halley’s Comet, according to NASA.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2022

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