1
Stage 1 of 3
kometes
Greek · ancient
"long-haired"
literally long-haired, describing the star's trailing tail of light
2
Stage 2 of 3
comete
Old French · medieval
"a celestial body with a trailing tail"
carried into French astronomical vocabulary
3
Stage 3 of 3
comet
English · 1200s
"an icy celestial body with a glowing tail near the sun"
settled as the English word for the icy body with a glowing tail
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