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 huge specimen weighing more than 2.5 tonnes is believed to have come from the Aletai meteorite, one of the largest known iron meteorites on Earth, it said.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

The Aletai meteorite was discovered in western China in 1898 and is thought to be at least 4.5 billion years old.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Carbonaceous chondrites arrive on Earth naturally, but they account for only about 5% of all meteorite falls.

From Science Daily • Dec. 25, 2025

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

From Science Daily • Nov. 23, 2025

I spot three deer munching on leaves just yards from where Brian is now rummaging through the meteorite bag with both hands.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson