Cometary

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈkɒm.ɪ.t(ə).ri/

Definitions

1. Relating to or resembling a celestial body that travels through space and has a nucleus of ice and dust, often producing a visible atmosphere and a tail when near the sun
2. Pertaining to the characteristics or phenomena associated with a comet, which can be defined by its bright tail and elliptical orbit around the sun
3. Describing anything that is similar to a comet in form or behavior, particularly in regard to astronomical events or appearances in the sky

Etymology: "Cometary" is a plain formation: the noun "comet" with the suffix "-ary", meaning "relating to" or "of the nature of". The suffix came into English through Middle English "-arie", borrowed from Old French and ultimately from the Latin "-arius", which turned nouns into adjectives describing a connection to them. So a cometary body is one that belongs to the class of comets, and the same pattern gives words like "planetary" and "military". The noun underneath it, "comet", traces back to Greek "kometes", meaning "long-haired", from "komē", hair. Ancient observers saw the luminous tail as a streaming mane, and the word's origin is entirely visual. That is the older image that "cometary" quietly carries with it.

Synonyms: comet-like