comet

com-et · noun

imported

Definitions

noun

  1. 1.

    A celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice, rock, and dust that, when passing close to the sun, develops a visible atmosphere (coma) and often a luminous tail.

  2. 2.

    (figurative) Something that appears suddenly and dramatically, often briefly.

Forms

plural: comets

Related words

See also: asteroid, meteor, planet, star
Synonyms: celestial body

Etymology

From Latin cometa, from Greek kometes ("long-haired"), from kome ("hair"), referring to the tail of a comet resembling flowing hair. The word has been used in English since the 13th century.