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Definition of Comet
1. Noun. (astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit.
Terms within: Coma, Nucleus
Generic synonyms: Estraterrestrial Body, Extraterrestrial Object
Derivative terms: Cometary, Cometic
Definition of Comet
1. n. A member of the solar system which usually moves in an elongated orbit, approaching very near to the sun in its perihelion, and receding to a very great distance from it at its aphelion. A comet commonly consists of three parts: the nucleus, the envelope, or coma, and the tail; but one or more of these parts is frequently wanting. See Illustration in Appendix.
Definition of Comet
1. Noun. (astronomy) A celestial body consisting mainly of ice, dust and gas in a (usually very eccentric) orbit around the Sun and having a "tail" of matter blown back from it by the solar wind as it approaches the Sun. ¹
2. Noun. A celestial phenomenon with the appearance given by the orbiting celestial body. ¹
¹ Source: wiktionary.com
Definition of Comet
1. a celestial body [n -S] : COMETARY [adj]
Lexicographical Neighbors of Comet
Literary usage of Comet
Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:
1. The Popular Science Monthly (1893)
"ON the night of June 14, 1770, the great French astronomer Messier first saw the
captive comet. It then appeared as a small patch of haze against the ..."
2. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific by Astronomical Society of the Pacific (1895)
"The comets of 1894 have been : comet a (unexpected comet); discovered by Mr. WF
... The comet-Medal has been awarded to the discoverers of comets a, o, ..."
3. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London by Royal Society (Great Britain) (1872)
"I give the following observations of Encke's comet, and of the spectrum of its
... The comet presented the appearance of a nearly circular faint nebulosity, ..."
4. The Popular Science Monthly (1874)
"('i>K};ia"s comet.—The comet which lately made such a grand display in our northern
heavens was discovered by Coggia, at Marseilles, on April 17th. ..."
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