meteor

Where does the word "meteor" come from? It comes from Greek meteoros, passing through New Latin before entering English (1550s).

Meteor’s story begins in Greek: meteoros meant “lofty, high in the air.” Lofty, high in the air, from meta- (beyond) and aeirein (to lift). By medieval, the word had taken hold in New Latin as meteorum. Carried into scholarly Latin for atmospheric phenomena, including streaking lights. It reached English by 1550s as meteor. Settled as the English word for a streak of light from a body burning in the atmosphere. Today, meteor means a small body from space that burns up as a streak of light entering the atmosphere.

1. Stage 1 · Greek · ancient meteoros "lofty, high in the air", lofty, high in the air, from meta- (beyond) and aeirein (to lift).
2. Stage 2 · New Latin · medieval meteorum "an atmospheric phenomenon", carried into scholarly Latin for atmospheric phenomena, including streaking lights.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1550s meteor "a streak of light from a body burning up in the atmosphere", settled as the English word for a streak of light from a body burning in the atmosphere.