météore

meteor

noun meh-teh-OR Rare

Origin: From Greek meteoros, 'high in the air'.

Also means

meteorite

Usage Note

Météore refers to the luminous trail of a meteoroid burning up in the atmosphere — what English speakers call a 'shooting star'. The related météorite is a fragment that actually reaches the ground. The adjective météorique (meteoric) is used metaphorically in French just as in English: une ascension météorique (a meteoric rise). Note: météore should not be confused with météo (weather forecast).

Examples

"Nous avons observé un météore traverser le ciel."

Natural Translation

We watched a meteor cross the sky.

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