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comet

com·et [ kómmət ] (plural com·ets)


noun 
Definition:
 
astronomical object with long tail: an astronomical object that is composed of a mass of ice and dust and has a long luminous tail produced by vaporization when its orbit passes close to the Sun

[12th century. Directly or via French< Latin (stella) cometa "long-haired (star)" < Greek (astēr) komētēs< komē "hair of the head"]

com·et·ar·y adjective
co·met·ic [ kə méttik ] adjective
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