bolide

bo·lide  (bld, -ld)

n.

A meteoric fireball.

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[French, from Latin bolis, bolid-, kind of meteor, from Greek, missile, flash (of lightning), from ballein, to throw; see g^wel- in Indo-European roots.]

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bolide [ˈbəʊlaɪd -lɪd]

n

(Astronomy) a large exceptionally bright meteor that often explodes Also called fireball

[from French, from bolis missile; see ballista]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

bolide - an especially luminous meteor (sometimes exploding) fireball shooting star, meteor - a streak of light in the sky at night that results when a meteoroid hits the earth's atmosphere and air friction causes the meteoroid to melt or vaporize or explode