comets

IPA/ˈkɒm.ɪt/
KK[kˈɑməts]IPA/ˈkɑː.mɪt/

comets — noun

  • cometssingular
  • cometsesplural

1. a large object in space made of ice, dust, and rock that follows a path around t

1.nounB1
Definition

a large object in space made of ice, dust, and rock that follows a path around the sun. When it passes close to the sun, the ice turns into gas and forms a bright, long tail that can sometimes be seen from Earth.

Example

Devika saw a bright comet in the sky through her bedroom window last night.

The children learned that comets are made mostly of ice, dust, and small rocks.

collocation: made of ice, dust, and rock

Common collocations
  • bright comet
  • comet's tail
  • discover a comet
  • observe a comet
  • comet approaches the sun
Synonyms
  • meteor

    a piece of rock or metal that burns brightly when entering Earth's atmosphere; much smaller than a comet and does not orbit the sun over a long period

  • asteroid

    a rocky object that orbits the sun but typically contains little ice and does not develop a tail

Grammar Patterns

a/the comet

comets (plural)

Usage Note

Comet is a countable noun: one comet, two comets.

Common Mistakes

I saw a shooting star — it was a comet!
I saw a shooting star
it was a meteor!' — A comet is an icy object that orbits the sun and develops a tail; a meteor is a small rock burning up in the atmosphere.

Word family

  • comet
    nounB1
  • cometary
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Comet, meteor, and asteroid all refer to objects in space, but they differ in composition and behaviour. A comet is an icy body that orbits the sun and develops a glowing tail when it gets close to the sun. A meteor is a small piece of space rock or metal that burns up as it enters Earth's atmosphere, creating a brief streak of light often called a 'shooting star'. An asteroid is a larger rocky body that orbits the sun, found mostly between Mars and Jupiter, and does not develop a tail. For example: 'The comet Hale-Bopp was visible from Earth for many weeks,' but 'A meteor flashed across the sky and vanished in seconds,' and 'The asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter.'

comet ↗meteor ↗asteroid ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • orbit of a comet
  • tail of a comet
  • discovery of a comet

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The word 'comet' comes from the Greek word 'komētēs' (κομήτης), meaning 'long-haired star'. The ancient Greeks thought comets looked like stars with flowing hair. The Greek root 'komē' means 'hair of the head'. The word passed through Latin 'cometa' into English during the Middle Ages.

First known use

12th century

12th century, in the meaning defined above