WordValecomet
an icy body that releases gas and dust near the sun
In more detail
1. (noun) a bright object that moves across the sky, made of ice, rock, and dust, with a long tail of light that appears to stream behind it
2. (noun) a person or thing that appears suddenly and briefly, then disappears
Examples
- 1. Halley's Comet returns to the night sky every 76 years.
- 2. The young singer was a comet in the music industry, rising to fame quickly but then fading away.
How to use comet
Comet primarily refers to the astronomical object visible in the night sky, especially one with a distinctive luminous tail. Metaphorically, it describes someone or something that appears suddenly and makes a brief but striking impact before fading away, as in 'a shooting comet across the entertainment world.' The term carries connotations of rarity, brightness, and transience.
Common phrases
- bright comet
- comet tail
- spectacular comet
- sighting of a comet
- comet passes through
Synonyms
celestial body · icy wanderer
Word family
cometary (adjective)
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse comets with meteors or shooting stars; a comet is a large icy body in space, whereas a meteor is the brief visible streak when smaller space debris enters the atmosphere.
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