meteor cloud (meteorkloud)

1. A flock of small meteoroids moving in space. Also called meteoric swarm. - 2. A cloud-like train left by a meteor in the upper air. [Rare.] meteor-dust (mē'te-or-dust), n. Matter in infinitesimal particles supposed to be floating throughout free space, and gradually settling upon the surfaces of the heavenly bodies. IMG:content-0549.png:[blocks in formation] meteoric (me-te-or'ik), a. [= F. météorique Sp. meteórico Pg. It. meteorico, The fiery particles ascended to the most meteoric or highest regions. Sharon Turner , Sacred Hist. of World [(tr. of Diod. Siculus), p. 23. 2. Pertaining to or of the nature of a meteor; consisting of meteors: as, meteoric stones; me teoric showers. Our nature is meteoric , we respect (because we partake so) both earth and heaven. Donne, Letters, xxxvii. 3. Flashing like a meteor; transiently or irregularly brilliant. Anthony Ashley Cooper, third earl of Shaftesbury (grandson of the first earl, the famous meteoric politician of the reign of Charles II.), was born in 1671 and died in 1713. Craik, Hist. Eng. Lit., II. 235. Meteoric astronomy, that branch of science which treats of meteors and meteoroids in their astronomical relations.- Meteoric iron. See iron and meteorite.-Meteoric ring, a swarm of meteoroids more or le thickly scattered along the entire orbit in which they circulate about the sun or other central body, so as to form a ring around it. The rings of Saturn are probably thus constituted. Meteoric showers, showers of meteors or shooting-stars occurring periodically, and especially in the months of August and November. The maximum brilliancy occurs every thirty-three years, and then sometimes for four years in succe ion there are showers of unusual magnitude. They are now known to be connected with comets. - Meteoric stones, aërolites. See meteorite. meteoric Meteoric swarm. Same as meteor-cloud. - Meteoric waters, waters which accrue from condensation of the vapors suspended in the atmosphere. Thomas, Med. Dict.