\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 a["e]rolite.
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["a]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).