Meteorite

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
meteorite
    n 1: stony or metallic object that is the remains of a meteoroid
         that has reached the earth's surface
    
from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Meteorite \Me"te*or*ite\, n. [Cf. F. m['e]t['e]orite.] (Min.)
   A mass of stone or iron which has fallen to the earth from
   space; an aerolite.
   [1913 Webster]

   Note: Meteorites usually show a pitted surface with a fused
         crust, caused by the heat developed in their rapid
         passage through the earth's atmosphere. A meteorite may
         consist: 1. Of metallic iron, alloyed with a small
         percentage of nickel (meteoric iron, holosiderite).
         When etched this usually exhibits peculiar crystalline
         figures, called Widmanst[aum]tten figures. 2. Of a
         cellular mass of iron with imbedded silicates
         (mesosiderite or siderolite). 3. Of a stony mass of
         silicates with little iron (meteoric stone,
         sporadosiderite). 4. Of a mass without iron
         (asiderite).
         [1913 Webster]
    

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