meteoric

[mee-tee-awr-ik, -or-] /ˌmi tiˈɔr ɪk, -ˈɒr-/
adjective
1.
of, pertaining to, or consisting of meteors.
2.
resembling a meteor in transient brilliance, suddenness of appearance, swiftness, etc.:
his meteoric rise in politics.
3.
of or coming from the atmosphere; meteorological.
Origin
1625-35; < Medieval Latin meteōricus. See meteor, -ic
Related forms
meteorically, adverb
nonmeteoric, adjective
nonmeteorically, adverb
Can be confused
meteor, meteoric, meteorite, meteoroid.
Examples from the web for meteoric
  • But shrimp's meteoric rise has come at a heavy cost, say environmentalists.
  • The isotope concentrations of the meteoric confection were also unlike those of earthly sweets.
  • Astronomers are uncovering newfound planets in orbit around other stars at a meteoric rate these days.
  • The zebra mussel's meteoric rise makes the alewife empire look puny.
  • Iron of meteoric origin has a high proportion of nickel, which is not present in terrestrial iron ores.
  • The vitriolic reaction to the excesses that accompanied their meteoric rise is hardly surprising.
  • Perry's rise was not meteoric and his victories were not landslides.
  • The same blogosphere that helped his meteoric rise may one day pay more attention to his chameleon qualities.
  • Ground water of local meteoric origin moves through the shallow sedimentary deposits and volcanic rocks at relatively slow rates.
  • We did not see the spike in housing sales, so the meteoric drop also did not occur here.
British Dictionary definitions for meteoric

meteoric

/ˌmiːtɪˈɒrɪk/
adjective
1.
of, formed by, or relating to meteors
2.
like a meteor in brilliance, speed, or transience
3.
(rare) of or relating to the weather; meteorological
Derived Forms
meteorically, adverb
Word Origin and History for meteoric
adj.

1812, "pertaining to meteors;" earlier "dependent on atmospheric conditions" (1789), from meteor + -ic. Figurative sense of "transiently brilliant" is from 1836.