Past tense of skyrocket; to increase very rapidly and dramatically, usually referring to prices, numbers, or success.
Compound word from 'sky' plus 'rocket,' first used in the 1920s as rocket technology developed. The metaphor compares sudden rapid increase to a rocket's swift upward trajectory.
The word is a perfect example of how new technology creates new metaphors—before rockets existed, people said prices 'soared' or 'shot up,' but once rockets were real and visibly reaching the sky, 'skyrocket' became the ultimate expression of explosive growth.
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