The Key Difference: Location
The main difference between a meteoroid, meteor, and meteorite is simply its location. All three terms refer to the same object, but its name changes depending on where it is.
Definitions by Location
A **Meteoroid** is a small rock or particle of debris in space. A **Meteor** is the streak of light we see (a 'shooting star') when a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere and burns up. A **Meteorite** is the piece of the meteoroid that survives its passage through the atmosphere and lands on Earth's surface.