Volume 3: 1771 Edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica!
Meteor
Meteor, in physiology, an imperfect, changeable, and mixt body, or the resemblance of a body appearing in the atmosphere, and formed by the action of the heavenly bodies, out of the common elements.
Meteors are of three kinds; fiery, airy, and watery. Fiery meteors consist of a fat sulphurous smoke set on fire; such as falling stars, draco volans, the ignis fatuus, and other phaenomena, appearing in the air. Airy meteors consist of flatulent and spirituous exhalations, such as winds, etc. Watery meteors are composed of vapours, or watery particles, variously modified by heat and cold, such as clouds, rain, hail, snow, and dew.