bolide

See also: Bolide

English
An especially bright meteor, a bolide (in astronomy)

Etymology

Borrowed from French bolide, from Latin bolis, from Ancient Greek βολίς (bolís, “missile, arrow, javelin”). Doublet of bolis.

Pronunciation
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈboʊ.laɪd/, /ˈboʊ.lɪd/
    • Audio (UK)(file)

Noun

bolide (plural bolides)

  1. An extremely bright meteor.
    Synonym: fireball
  2. Any extraterrestrial body that collides with Earth.
    • 2004, Alan Harris, "SPACEGUARD REDUX, PUT TO TEST", in Astrobiology Magazine
      The smallest impactor that can penetrate the atmosphere deep enough to cause any damage on the ground is not much smaller than the "Tunguska" bolide that flattened a couple thousand square miles of Siberian forest in 1908.
  3. A fireball.

Derived terms

Translations
any extraterrestrial body that collides with earth
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Further reading

Anagrams

Dutch

Etymology

From French bolide.

Noun

bolide f (plural bolides, diminutive bolidetje n)

  1. (astronomy) bolide; an exceptionally bright meteor
    Synonym: vuurbol
  2. (by extension) fast racing car; speedster, high-powered car

French

Etymology

From Latin bolis.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /bɔ.lid/
  • Audio(file)
  • Rhymes: -id

Noun

bolide m (plural bolides)

  1. (astronomy, dated) fireball
  2. (by extension) fast racing car; speedster, high-powered car

Further reading

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin bolidem, from Ancient Greek βολίς (bolís, “missile, arrow, javelin”).

Noun

bolide m (plural bolidi)

  1. (astronomy) meteor
  2. (automotive) racing car/race car

Anagrams
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