*meteor*

n. [ Hydro-, 1 + meteor. ] A meteor or atmospheric phenomenon dependent upon the vapor of water; -- in the pl., a general term for the whole aqueous phenomena of the atmosphere, as rain, snow, hail, etc. Nichol. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to hydrometeorology, or to rain, clouds, storms, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Hydro-, 1 + meteorology. ] That branch of meteorology which relates to, or treats of, water in the atmosphere, or its phenomena, as rain, clouds, snow, hail, storms, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. météore, Gr. &unr_;, pl. &unr_; things in the air, fr. &unr_; high in air, raised off the ground; &unr_; beyond + &unr_;, &unr_;, a suspension or hovering in the air, fr. &unr_; to lift, raise up. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Any phenomenon or appearance in the atmosphere, as clouds, rain, hail, snow, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Hail, an ordinary meteor. Bp. Hall. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Specif.: A transient luminous body or appearance seen in the atmosphere, or in a more elevated region. [ 1913 Webster ]

The vaulty top of heaven
Figured quite o'er with burning meteors. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A mass of stone or other substance which sometimes falls to the earth from space beyond the moon, burning up from atomospheric friction and creating a brilliant but usually very brief trail of light in the atmosphere; also called a shooting star. [ PJC ]

☞ The term is especially applied to fireballs, and the masses of stone or other substances which sometimes fall to the earth; also to shooting stars and to ignes fatui. Meteors are often classed as: aerial meteors, winds, tornadoes, etc.; aqueous meteors, rain, hail, snow, dew, etc.; luminous meteors, rainbows, halos, etc.; and igneous meteors, lightning, shooting stars, and the like. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ Cf. F. météorique. ] 1. Of or pertaining to a meteor, or to meteors; atmospheric, as, meteoric phenomena; meteoric stones. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Influenced by the weather; as, meteoric conditions. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Flashing; transient and brilliant, like a meteor{ 3 }; as, meteoric fame. “Meteoric politician.” Craik. [ 1913 Webster ]

Meteoric iron,
Meteoric stone. (Min.) See Meteorite. --
Meteoric paper, a substance of confervoid origin found floating in the air, and resembling bits of coarse paper; -- so called because formerly supposed to fall from meteors. --
Meteoric showers, periodical exhibitions of shooting stars, occuring about the 9th or 10th of August and 13th of November, more rarely in April and December, and also at some other periods. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Meteoric. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Med.) Flatulent distention of the abdomen; tympanites. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. météorite. ] (Min.) A mass of stone or iron which has fallen to the earth from space; an aerolite. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Meteorites usually show a pitted surface with a fused crust, caused by the heat developed in their rapid passage through the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite may consist: 1. Of metallic iron, alloyed with a small percentage of nickel (meteoric iron, holosiderite). When etched this usually exhibits peculiar crystalline figures, called Widmanstätten figures. 2. Of a cellular mass of iron with imbedded silicates (mesosiderite or siderolite). 3. Of a stony mass of silicates with little iron (meteoric stone, sporadosiderite). 4. Of a mass without iron (asiderite). [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ Gr. &unr_; to raise to a height. ] To ascend in vapors; to take the form of a meteor. Evelyn. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -graph. ] An instrument which registers meteorologic phases or conditions. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to meteorography. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -graphy. ] The registration of meteorological phenomena. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -oid. ] (Astron.) A small body moving through space, or revolving about the sun, which on entering the earth's atmosphere would be deflagrated and appear as a meteor. [ 1913 Webster ]

These bodies [ small, solid bodies ] before they come into the air, I call meteoroids. H. A. Newton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to a meteoroid or to meteoroids. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -lite : cf. F. météorolithe. ] A meteoric stone; an aerolite; a meteorite. [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } a. [ Gr. &unr_;: cf. F. météorologique. ] Of or pertaining to the atmosphere and its phenomena, or to meteorology. [ 1913 Webster ]

Meteorological table,
Meteorological register, a table or register exhibiting the state of the air and its temperature, weight, dryness, moisture, motion, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. météorologiste. ] A person skilled in meteorology. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;; &unr_; + lo`gos discourse: cf. F. météorologie. See Meteor. ] The science which treats of the atmosphere and its phenomena, particularly of its variations of heat and moisture, of its winds, storms, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -mancy : cf. F. météoromancie. ] A species of divination by atmospheric phenomena, chiefly by thunder and lightning, which was held in high estimation by the Romans. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Meteor + -meter. ] An apparatus which transmits automatically to a central station atmospheric conditions as marked by the anemometer, barometer, thermometer, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Gr. &unr_;, fr. &unr_; observing the heavenly bodies; &unr_; + &unr_; to view: cf. F. météoroscope. See Meteor. ] (Astron.) (a) An astrolabe; a planisphere. [ Obs. ] (b) An instrument for measuring the position, length, and direction, of the apparent path of a shooting star. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ See Meteor. ] Of the nature or appearance of a meteor. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A meteorite so small that it drifts down to Earth without becoming intensely heated in the earth's atmosphere. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

adj. of or relating to a micrometeorite. [ WordNet 1.5 ]