meteorite

2 definitions found

meteorite - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Meteorite \Me"te*or*ite\, n. [Cf. F. m['e]t['e]orite.] (Min.)
     A mass of stone or iron which has fallen to the earth from
     space; an aerolite.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: 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 Widmanst[aum]tten 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]

meteorite - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  meteorite
      n 1: stony or metallic object that is the remains of a meteoroid
           that has reached the earth's surface