meteoric

/ˌˈmidiˌɔrɪk/

Other forms: meteorically

Because meteors move through the sky so quickly, we often refer to something moving very fast as meteoric. A newly-popular singer might be said to experience a meteoric rise to the top. (The fall can be meteoric, too.)

The "-ic" suffix on a word creates an adjective meaning "with the characteristics of." So meteoric means “having the characteristics of a meteor.” Both words take their origin from the Greek meteōros, meaning "high up." By the way, a shooting star is meteoric, being a meteor that is burning up as it plunges through the earth's atmosphere.

Definitions of meteoric

1. adjective

   relating to or consisting of small objects in or from outer space
   “meteoric shower”

   “meteoric impacts”
2. adjective

   relating to atmospheric events, especially the weather
   “meteoric (or meteorological) phenomena”

   synonyms: meteorologic, meteorological
3. adjective

   like a shooting star in speed, brilliance, briefness
   “a meteoric rise to fame”

   synonyms:

   fast

   acting or moving or capable of acting or moving quickly