Aerolith
/ˈɛə.rə.lɪθ/noun
A meteorite or stony mass that has fallen from the atmosphere to Earth.
Did you know?The word is a learned scientific formation from Greek roots, and it preserves the ancient idea that a stone from above is not just geology — it is a message from the heavens.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
aēr
“air, lower atmosphere”
Ancient Greek
Greek
lithos
“stone”
18th–19th Century
French/Scientific Latin
aérolithe
“aerolite; a stone from the air”
19th Century
English
aerolith
“a meteoric stone”
Modern English
English
aerolith
“a meteorite or stony mass from the atmosphere”
Explore more surprising origins