comet Meaning & Definition
What Does Comet Mean?
Comet is used as a noun meaning A small Solar System body consisting mainly of volatile ice, dust and particles of rock whose very eccentric solar orbit periodically brings it close enough to the Sun that the ice vaporises to form an atmosphere, or coma, which may be blown by the solar wind to produce a visible tail. It is also used to mean A celestial phenomenon with the appearance of such a body.
Comet in Brief
| Part of speech | noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //ˈkɒmɪt// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | faxed star |
| Plural | comets |
Comet Definition (Noun)
- A small Solar System body consisting mainly of volatile ice, dust and particles of rock whose very eccentric solar orbit periodically brings it close enough to the Sun that the ice vaporises to form an atmosphere, or coma, which may be blown by the solar wind to produce a visible tail.
- A celestial phenomenon with the appearance of such a body.
- Any of several species of hummingbird found in the Andes.
Noun
- A celestial body consisting mainly of ice, dust and gas in a (usually very eccentric) orbit around the Sun and having a "tail" of matter blown back from it by the solar wind as it approaches the Sun.
- A celestial phenomenon with the appearance given by the orbiting celestial body.
Synonyms of Comet
Comet synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Comet
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Comet in a Sentence
No example sentences are available for this entry.
Word Forms & Grammar
comet (plural comets)
Words That Rhyme With Comet
Origin of Comet
From Middle English comete, partly from Old English comēta and partly from Old French comete, both from Latin comētēs, from Ancient Greek κομήτης (komḗtēs, “longhaired”), short for ἀστὴρ κομήτης ([astēr] komētēs, "longhaired [star])" and referring to the tail of a comet, from κόμη (kómē, “hair”). Compare English faxed star and Latin crīnīta stēlla (“comet”, literally “(long) haired star”).
How to Pronounce Comet
Comet is pronounced //ˈkɒmɪt// and has 1 syllable.
Quick Answers About Comet
What part of speech is comet?
Comet is a noun.
What is another word for comet?
Words with a similar meaning to comet include faxed star. See the full list of comet synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of comet?
The plural of comet is comets.