impactor

noun

im·​pac·​tor im-ˈpak-tər How to pronounce impactor (audio)
variants or impacter
1
: a machine (such as a steam or air hammer or a pile driver) or part that operates by striking blows
2

Examples of impactor in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Szabo says finding one of these potential impactors is still like finding a needle in a haystack. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 Yet the event’s infamous impactor was nothing compared with the asteroid that struck Earth 3.26 billion years ago, amid what scientists call the Archean eon of our planet’s 4.5-billion-year history. Douglas Fox, Scientific American, 21 Oct. 2024 Civilization-ending earth impactors continually capture our imaginations. Bruce Dorminey, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024 By reverse engineering Ganymede’s position, Hirata calculated that the moon’s impactor was 186 miles wide, or about 20 times the size of the Chicxulub asteroid. Shi En Kim, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for impactor 

Word History

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of impactor was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near impactor

Cite this Entry

“Impactor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impactor. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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