shooting star
shooting star Lexical Profile
• noun
A small, rapidly moving meteor that burns up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere, appearing as a brief, glowing streak of light in the night sky.
"We lay on the blanket in the backyard, hoping to see a shooting star during the Perseid meteor shower."
North American A North American wildflower of the primrose family, characterized by distinctive nodding flowers with backward-pointing petals that resemble a darting meteor.
"The hiker spotted a delicate pink shooting star blooming along the damp woodland trail in the Pacific Northwest."
Word Nuance & Usage
Scientifically a misnomer, as a shooting star is actually a meteor entering the Earth's atmosphere, not a true star.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
A descriptive compound phrase dating back to at least the late 16th century, referring to the visual illusion of a star detaching and darting across the night sky.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.