comet
comet Lexical Profile
comet Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust that, when approaching the sun, develops a visible glowing coma and an extended tail pointing away from the sun.
"As the comet entered the inner solar system, its brilliant tail became visible to stargazers across the globe."
Word Nuance & Usage
Frequently confused with 'asteroid' and 'meteor'; a comet specifically refers to an icy body that forms a glowing tail of gas and dust when approaching the sun, whereas asteroids are rocky and meteors are small fragments that burn up in Earth's atmosphere.
• Rhymes for comet
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'cometa', derived from Latin 'cometa', which traces back to the Greek 'komētēs' meaning 'long-haired (star)', from 'komē' (hair of the head), referring to the comet's characteristic tail.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.