See also: Comet

EnglishEdit

 
The comet Hale–Bopp in the night sky.

EtymologyEdit

From Middle English comete, partly from Old English comēta and partly from Old French comete, both from Latin comētēs, from Ancient Greek κομήτης (komḗtēs, longhaired), short for ἀστὴρ κομήτης ([astēr] komētēs, "longhaired [star])" and referring to the tail of a comet, from κόμη (kómē, hair). Compare English faxed star.

PronunciationEdit

  • enPR: kŏm'ət, IPA(key): /ˈkɒmət/
  • (file)
  • Rhymes: -ɒmɪt

NounEdit

comet (plural comets)

  1. (astronomy) A small Solar System body consisting mainly of volatile ice, dust and particles of rock whose very eccentric solar orbit periodically brings it close enough to the Sun that the ice vaporises to form an atmosphere, or coma, which may be blown by the solar wind to produce a visible tail.
  2. A celestial phenomenon with the appearance of such a body.
  3. Any of several species of hummingbird found in the Andes.

Usage notesEdit

A comet whose volatile ices have completely evaporated is said to be dead or extinct.

SynonymsEdit

Derived termsEdit

DescendantsEdit

  • Malay: komet
  • Urdu: کومٹ(komeṭ)
  • Welsh: comed

TranslationsEdit

Further readingEdit

AnagramsEdit

CatalanEdit

VerbEdit

comet

  1. third-person singular present indicative form of cometre
  2. second-person singular imperative form of cometre

LatinEdit

VerbEdit

cōmet

  1. third-person singular future active indicative of cōmō

RomanianEdit

NounEdit

comet n (plural comete)

  1. Alternative form of cometă

DeclensionEdit