Meteor definitions

Meteoroid - an object in space that may, if it enters our atmosphere,
become a meteor.

The intense heat vaporizes most meteors, creating what we call
shooting stars. (Most become visible at around 60 miles up.)

Some large meteors splatter, causing a brighter flash called a fireball,
and an explosion, which can often be heard up to 30 miles away.

When meteors hit the ground, they're called meteorites.

Some meteors are bits broken off asteroids,
others -- mere cosmic dust -- are cast off by comets.

from http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/solarsystem/meteors-ez.html