A streak of light in the sky at night that results when a meteoroid hits the earth's atmosphere and air friction causes the meteoroid to melt or vaporize or explode.
synonym: meteor.
Roget 318:
world,
creation,
nature,
universe;
earth,
globe,
wide world;
cosmos;
kosmos†;
terraqueous globe†,
sphere;
macrocosm,
megacosm†;
music of the spheres.
heavens,
sky,
welkin†,
empyrean;
starry cope,
starry heaven,
starry host;
firmament;
Midgard;
supersensible regions†;
varuna;
vault of heaven,
canopy of heaven;
celestial spaces.
heavenly bodies,
stars,
asteroids;
nebulae;
galaxy,
milky way,
galactic circle,
via lactea [Lat.],
ame no kawa [Jap.].
sun,
orb of day,
Apollo†,
Phoebus;
photosphere,
chromosphere;
solar system;
planet,
planetoid;
comet;
satellite,
moon,
orb of night,
Diana,
silver-footed queen;
aerolite†,
meteor;
planetary ring;
falling star,
shooting star;
meteorite,
uranolite†.
constellation,
zodiac,
signs of the zodiac,
Charles's wain,
Big Dipper,
Little Dipper,
Great Bear,
Southern Cross,
Orion's belt,
Cassiopea's chair,
Pleiades.
colures†,
equator,
ecliptic,
orbit.
[Science of heavenly bodies]
astronomy;
uranography,
uranology†;
cosmology,
cosmography†,
cosmogony;
eidouranion†,
orrery;
geodesy
etc.
(measurement)
466;
star gazing,
star gazer†;
astronomer;
observatory;
planetarium.
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Roget 423:
luminary;
light
etc.
420;
flame
etc.
(fire)
382.
spark,
scintilla;
phosphorescence,
fluorescence.
sun,
orb of day,
Phoebus,
Apollo†,
Aurora;
star,
orb;
meteor,
falling star,
shooting star;
blazing star,
dog star,
Sirius;
canicula,
Aldebaran†;
constellation,
galaxy;
zodiacal light;
anthelion†;
day star,
morning star;
Lucifer;
mock sun,
parhelion;
phosphor,
phosphorus;
sun dog†;
Venus.
aurora,
polar lights;
northern lights,
aurora borealis;
southern lights,
aurora australis.
lightning;
chain lightning,
fork lightning,
sheet lightning,
summer lightning;
ball lightning,
kugelblitz [G.];
[chemical substances giving off light without burning]
phosphorus,
yellow phosphorus;
scintillator,
phosphor;
firefly luminescence.
ignis fatuus [Lat.];
Jack o'lantern,
Friar's lantern;
will-o'-the-wisp,
firedrake†,
Fata Morgana [Lat.];
Saint Elmo's fire.
[luminous insects]
glowworm,
firefly,
June bug,
lightning bug.
[luminous fish]
anglerfish.
[Artificial light]
gas;
gas light,
lime light,
lantern,
lanthorn†;
dark lantern,
bull's-eye;
candle,
bougie [Fr.],
taper,
rushlight;
oil
etc.
(grease)
356;
wick,
burner;
Argand†,
moderator,
duplex;
torch,
flambeau,
link,
brand;
gaselier†,
chandelier,
electrolier†,
candelabrum,
candelabra,
girandole†,
sconce,
luster,
candlestick.
[non-combustion based light sources]
lamp,
light;
incandescent lamp,
tungsten bulb,
light bulb;
flashlight,
torch [Brit.];
arc light;
laser;
[microwave radiation];
maser
neon bulb,
neon sign;
fluorescent lamp.
[parts of a light bulb]
filament;
socket;
contacts;
filler gas.
firework,
fizgig†;
pyrotechnics;
rocket,
lighthouse
etc.
(signal)
550.
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Dutch: meteoriet, vallende ster, meteoor
Polish: meteor