Thesaurus: comet

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Definitions

1. n. A member of the solar system which usually moves in an elongated orbit, approaching very near to the sun in its perihelion, and receding to a very great distance from it at its aphelion. A comet commonly consists of three parts: the nucleus, the envelope, or coma, and the tail; but one or more of these parts is frequently wanting. See Illustration in Appendix.
2. n. (astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit
3. A member of the solar system which usually moves in an elongated orbit, approaching very near to the sun in its perihelion, and receding to a very great distance from it at its aphelion. A comet commonly consists of three parts: the nucleus, the envelope, or coma, and the tail; but one or more of these parts is frequently wanting. See Illustration in Appendix.
4. A member of the solar system which usually moves in anelongated orbit, approaching very near to the sun in its perihelion,and receding to a very great distance from it at its aphelion. Acomet commonly consists of three parts: the nucleus, the envelope, orcoma, and the tail; but one or more of these parts is frequentlywanting. See Illustration in Appendix.
5. n:100 n. (astronomy) a relatively small extraterrestrial body consisting of a frozen mass that travels around the sun in a highly elliptical orbit