Meteor is a masculine noun referring to a luminous streak in the sky produced by a meteoroid entering Earth's atmosphere, or, more broadly, a brilliant event or prodigy in metaphorical use. In everyday discourse it denotes a dramatic or notable phenomenon, usually in reference to astronomy, meteorology, or metaphorical “meteoric” rapidity. The term often implies transient brightness or spectacular display.
"A meteor zipped across the night sky, leaving a bright trail."
"Scientists studied the meteor decline in the atmosphere after it burned up."
"The meteor shower captivated thousands of skywatchers last weekend."
"Her meteoric rise in the company surprised even seasoned colleagues."
Meteor comes from the Greek meteōros meaning high in the sky, derived from meteō (to seek, measure, or plan? actually to seek) and the suffix -ōros meaning 'bearing', used in meteorology names to denote things observed in the heavens. The modern usage shifted in the 17th century to describe the luminous streak in the atmosphere, as a result of a meteoroid burning up. In Latin and early modern texts, references often linked meteor with things that appear in the heavens or signs from the gods. Over time, meteor broadened in metaphor to include any bright, fast-moving event or a rapid rise (meteoric). First known English use appears in the 16th-17th centuries as scientific vocabulary tied to astronomy, gradually settling into common language in the 19th and 20th centuries with the popularization of meteor showers and space exploration.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Meteor" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "Meteor"
-ter sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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Pronounced /ˈmiː.ti.ər/ in US and UK; the most common form places primary stress on the first syllable: MEET-ee-ər. Start with a long 'ee' as in 'see', then a quick 'tee' before a schwa-like final /ər/. In careful speech you may hear a slightly more articulated final /ɹ/ in rhotic accents. For audio reference, listen to standard dictionaries or pronunciation platforms (Pronounce, Forvo) to hear US and UK variants.
Common errors include: misplacing stress (say mi-ET-or), underpronouncing the second syllable leading to ME-tee-or, and conflating with 'mete-or' sounding like 'meteor' with a strong final consonant. To correct: emphasize the first syllable with /ˈmiː/ and lightly articulate the /ti/ as a quick cluster before the final /əɹ/. Practice saying it as MEET-ee-ər with a reduced, unstressed final syllable.
In US and UK, primary stress remains on the first syllable: /ˈmiː.ti.ɚ/ (US) and /ˈmiː.ti.ə/ (UK); rhoticity affects the final /ɚ/ in US, giving a more audible r, while UK may reduce to /ə/ or /ə/ with less rhoticity. Australian English often resembles British pronunciation but with vowel quality shifts; the /iː/ may be slightly shorter, and the final vowel can be more centralized. Overall, the core MEET-tee-uh structure stays consistent, with minor color differences in the final vowel.
The challenge lies in balancing three syllables with a subtle final schwa and a postvocalic /ɹ/ or /ə/ depending on accent. The middle /ti/ cluster requires clear but quick articulation without creating a heavy 'tee-or' diphthong. Also, final /ɚ/ or /ə/ reduces in connected speech, so you must keep the final syllable soft yet audible. Practice maintaining steady tempo to avoid turning it into ME-TEE-er or ME-First syllable too long.
Meteor is one of those words where the 'ti' behaves like a soft 't' followed by a vowel, not a hard 't' as in 'tattoo'. In many speakers, the /ti/ sequence can blur slightly into a touch of /ʃ/ or /tʃ/ if not careful; aim for a crisp /ti/ rather than a blend. Additionally, the final /ɚ/ or /ə/ is often weakened, so you should practice with a tiny mouth opening and relaxed tongue for natural final sound.
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