Orionids

American  

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

noun

(used with a plural verb)

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

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Example Sentences

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 radiant is the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to originate, and for the Orionids this is the constellation of Orion.

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2025

The Orionids are back, promising views of a spectacular meteor shower this weekend.

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