What does meteoric mean?
Meteoric describes a rise to success or prominence that is strikingly fast, sudden, and often dramatic. The expression “a meteoric rise” commonly refers to someone whose career, reputation, or popularity has advanced remarkably quickly, while “a meteoric career” can indicate either exceptional success or, sometimes, an unexpectedly brief period of fame. The word is usually positive, emphasizing the scale and speed of the achievement rather than providing a detailed explanation for it. In specialized historical or astronomical contexts, meteoric can also refer to meteors or material associated with them. Its familiar figurative sense comes from the historical idea of a meteor travelling rapidly across the sky, an image that helped establish the word’s association with swift movement and striking visibility.
Characterized by a sudden, rapid, and striking rise to prominence or success.
"The young designer has had a meteoric career in international fashion."
The figurative sense is usually positive and commonly appears in the collocation “meteoric rise.”
Relating to meteors or phenomena occurring in the sky.
"The collection documents meteoric activity observed over several centuries."
This is a specialized and less common sense, often encountered in historical or scientific writing.
A meteoric career can reach the summit almost overnight: the word once evoked objects in the sky, but now most often signals a dazzlingly fast ascent to fame.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does meteoric come from?
The word derives from the Greek meteōros, meaning “raised high” or “high in the sky,” via the English term meteor. The underlying Greek root also connects with words such as meteorite, meteorology, and meteorological. The English adjective initially referred to phenomena in the sky and later developed its modern figurative sense of a remarkably rapid rise, especially in describing a career or reputation.
How meteoric is actually used
In modern general use, “meteoric” is almost always positive and describes an unusually rapid or spectacular rise, especially in a career, reputation, or popularity. Its rarer astronomical sense is more formal and technical.
Easily confused with meteoric
A meteor is the luminous phenomenon produced when a space object enters Earth's atmosphere, whereas meteoric commonly describes a sudden and remarkably rapid rise in status or success.