meteorite
UK[ˈmiːtiəraɪt]US[ˈmiːtiəraɪt]
n
A piece of rock or metal from space that has landed on Earth's surface.
n
A solid object that has fallen from space onto a celestial body, such as the Moon or Mars.
Morpheme Breakdown
meteor
ite
meteor
ite
Etymology
The word 'meteorite' is a modern scientific compound built upon the classical term 'meteor'. In ancient Greek, meteōros described anything suspended or raised high in the air, which was later applied to atmospheric phenomena like shooting stars. The suffix '-ite', of Greek origin, is commonly used in geology and mineralogy to denote a type of rock or mineral. Thus, a 'meteorite' is logically the physical, rocky remnant—the "stone"—of what was once observed as a luminous 'meteor' high in the sky, completing its journey by landing on the ground.
Analysis
Structure: meteor + ite
meteor: From Greek meteōros (raised, lofty, high in the air). In this compound, it refers to the atmospheric phenomenon.
ite: A suffix from Greek -itēs, used to form nouns denoting minerals, rocks, fossils, or things derived from or associated with a specified thing.
Examples
The museum's new exhibit features a large iron meteorite found in the desert.
Scientists study the composition of meteorites to learn about the early solar system.
A rare meteorite fall was witnessed by hundreds of people in the region.