fireball
fireball Lexical Profile
fireball Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A ball of flame or fire, particularly an exceptionally bright meteor or the luminous, spherical cloud of intensely hot gases generated by a large explosion.
"The dashboard camera captured a brilliant green fireball streaking across the night sky before breaking apart."
A highly energetic, driven, or intensely enthusiastic person.
"The new project manager is a real fireball who completely revitalized the team's stagnant workflow in just a week."
Word Nuance & Usage
In astronomy, 'fireball' serves as a specific technical classification for a meteor that shines brighter than the planet Venus, distinguishing it from an ordinary shooting star.
Word Origin & Etymology
Originated in the mid-16th century referring to a spherical projectile filled with combustible material used as a weapon, formed by combining 'fire' and 'ball'. The figurative sense denoting a highly energetic person emerged in the 1920s.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.