Orionidn.adj.
/əˈrʌɪənɪd/, U.S. /əˈraɪənɪd/, /oʊˈraɪənɪd/ Astronomy.
A. n.
Any of an annual shower of meteors which appear to radiate from the constellation Orion during October.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > constellation > comet or meteor > meteor > [noun] > shower > specific
Perseid1871
Andromed1877
Aquarid1877
Geminid1877
lacertid1877
Leonid1877
Orionid1877
Quadrantid1877
Lyraid1883
Bielid1885
Taurids1888
Andromedid1898
Draconids1926
1877 G. F. Chambers Handbk. Descr. Astron. (ed. 3) ix. iii. 799 The example [of Leonid] has been followed in designating other meteor showers by the constellations in which their radiant-points are situated; so that we have the..Orionids of October 18–20.
1933 Proc. National Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 19 218 Of the fifty trails, twenty-one appeared to come from well determined radiants, namely, five Geminids, four Leonids, four Perseids, three Orionids, two Taurids, two Quadrantids and one δ Aquarid.
1993 Times 30 Sept. 20/6 Although never very numerous the Orionids, debris from Halley's comet, are fast meteors and often leave glowing trails persisting for a few seconds.
B. adj. (attributive).
Of or designating an Orionid, or the shower of Orionids.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the universe > constellation > comet or meteor > meteor > [adjective] > specific shower
Perseid1880
Orionid1899
Quadrantid1900
Aquarid1901
Draconids1926
1899 Edinb. Rev. Oct. 325 The well-known Orionid centre.
1915 Proc. National Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 1 358 The radiant point of the Orionid meteors.
1947 Science 10 Oct. 340 The program at the Hayden Planetarium..will feature a realistic preview of the Orionid meteor shower.
1995 Jrnl. Brit. Astron. Assoc. 105 209/2 Orionid meteors are fast, and often leave persistent trains.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.adj.1877