METEORICAL
Me`te*or"ic*al, a.
Defn: Meteoric.
METEORISM
Me"te*or*ism, n. (Med.)
Defn: Flatulent distention of the abdomen; tympanites.
METEORITE
Me"te*or*ite, n. Etym: [Cf. F. météorite.] (Min.)
Defn: A mass of stone or iron which has fallen to the earth from space; an aërolite.
Note: Meteorites usually show a pitted surface with a fused crust, caused by the heat developed in their rapid passage through the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite may consist: 1. Of metallic iron, alloyed with a small percentage of nickel (meteoric iron, holosiderite). When etched this usually exhibits peculiar crystalline figures, called Widmanstätten figures. 2. Of a cellular mass of iron with imbedded silicates (mesosiderite or siderolite). 3. Of a stony mass of silicates with little iron (meteoric stone, sporadosiderite). 4. Of a mass without iron (asiderite).
METEORIZE
Me"te*or*ize, v. i. Etym: [Gr.
Defn: To ascend in vapors; to take the form of a meteor. Evelyn.
METEOROGRAPH
Me`te*or"o*graph, n. Etym: [Meteor + -graph.]