comet
noun
com·et ˈkä-mət 
: a celestial body that appears as a fuzzy head usually surrounding a bright nucleus, that has a usually highly eccentric orbit, that consists primarily of ice and dust, and that often develops one or more long tails when near the sun
cometary
ˈkä-mə-ˌter-ē
adjective cometic
kə-ˈme-tik
adjective kä-
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Stung, Golden State recruited a passing comet, Kevin Durant, who helped deliver two more titles, but got hurt chasing a third, and left town. 
Jason Gay, WSJ, 17 June 2022 Today, these perfectly circular features on the lunar surface are known to be caused by asteroid and comet impacts. Charles Cockell, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 The comet last entered the inner solar system in 1992. Kristen Rogers, CNN, 11 Aug. 2022 The Perseid meteor shower associated with the comet will peak about 1-3 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14. Joan Rusek, cleveland, 8 Aug. 2022 Cheryl uses her powers on the comet and then suddenly ... Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 1 Aug. 2022 The Swift-Tuttle comet orbits between the sun and beyond the orbit of Pluto once every 133 years, NASA says, and every year the Earth nears its path, merging into the debris trail and placing us at a spectacular vantage point. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 26 July 2022 The Perseids are particles released from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, according to the society. Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, 18 July 2022 What everyone's talking about K2, the brightest comet in our solar system, will swing by Earth this week. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 13 July 2022 See More
Jason Gay, WSJ, 17 June 2022 Today, these perfectly circular features on the lunar surface are known to be caused by asteroid and comet impacts. Charles Cockell, WSJ, 1 Sep. 2022 The comet last entered the inner solar system in 1992. Kristen Rogers, CNN, 11 Aug. 2022 The Perseid meteor shower associated with the comet will peak about 1-3 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14. Joan Rusek, cleveland, 8 Aug. 2022 Cheryl uses her powers on the comet and then suddenly ... Samantha Highfill, EW.com, 1 Aug. 2022 The Swift-Tuttle comet orbits between the sun and beyond the orbit of Pluto once every 133 years, NASA says, and every year the Earth nears its path, merging into the debris trail and placing us at a spectacular vantage point. Tim Newcomb, Popular Mechanics, 26 July 2022 The Perseids are particles released from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, according to the society. Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, 18 July 2022 What everyone's talking about K2, the brightest comet in our solar system, will swing by Earth this week. Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY, 13 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English comete, from Old English cometa, from Latin, from Greek komētēs, literally, long-haired, from koman to wear long hair, from komē hair
First Known Use
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
comet
noun
com·et ˈkä-mət
: a small bright heavenly body that develops a cloudy tail as it moves in an orbit around the sun