GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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1.       
   Comet (?), n. [L. cometes, cometa, from Gr.  comet, prop. long-haired, fr.  to wear long hair, fr.  hair, akin to L. coma: cf. F. comète.] (Astron.) A member of the solar system which usually moves in an elongated orbit, approaching very near to the sun in its perihelion, and receding to a very great distance from it at its aphelion. A comet commonly consists of three parts: the nucleus, the envelope, or coma, and the tail; but one or more of these parts is frequently wanting. See Illustration in Appendix.
   
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