Perseid

American  

[pur-see-id] / ˈpɜr si ɪd /

noun

Astronomy.

1. any of a shower of meteors appearing in August and radiating from a point in the constellation Perseus.

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Perseid British  

/ ˈpɜːsɪɪd /

noun

1. any member of a meteor shower occurring annually around August 12th and appearing to radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus

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Etymology

Origin of Perseid

First recorded in 1870–75; Perseus ( def. ) + -id ¹ ( def. ); modeled on Italian Perseidi (plural), a term coined or used by Giovanni Schiaparelli ( def. )

Example Sentences

Next best thing: Meteors flaming across the sky during the August 12-13 Perseid shower peak promise the brightest show in years.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The Perseid meteor shower will peak next week.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2025

Stargazers can cross their fingers for more fireballs, a phenomenon that the Perseid shower is known for, according to NASA.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 29, 2025

This came as the Perseid meteor shower reached its peak, when up to 100 meteors an hour can be visible in the night sky.

From BBC • Aug. 12, 2024

The Perseid Meteor shower commonly peaks in early August.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith