missile

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: mis=sile

CIDE DICTIONARY

missile, a. [L. missils, fr. mittere, missum, to cause to go, to send, to throw; cf. Lith. mesti to throw: cf. F. missile. Cf. Admit, Dismiss, Mass the religious service, Message, Mission.].

 Capable of being thrown; adapted for hurling or to be projected from the hand, or from any instrument or engine{2}, so as to strike an object at a distance.  [1913 Webster]
"We bend the bow, or wing the missile dart."  [1913 Webster]

missile, n. [L. missile.].

•  A weapon thrown or projected or intended to be projected, as a lance, an arrow, or a bullet.  [1913 Webster]
•  A rocket-propelled device designed to fly through the air and deliver a warhead of explosive materials to a target.  [PJC]

  "Numerous types of rocket-propelled missile{2} are now used in modern warfare. Some types with names indicating their range or function are: antiaircraft missile; ballistic missile; cruise missile; antiballistic missile missile; air-to-air missile; air-to-ground missile; guided missile; intercontinental ballistic missile (IBM); intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM); surface-to-air missile."

OXFORD DICTIONARY

missile, n.
1 an object or weapon suitable for throwing at a target or for discharge from a machine.
2 a weapon, esp. a nuclear weapon, directed by remote control or automatically.

Derivative

missilery n.

Etymology

L missilis f. mittere miss- send

THESAURUS

missile

AA target rocket, ABM, ASM, ATS, Asp, Asroc, Atlas, Atlas-Agena, Atlas-Centaur, Bullpup, Cajun, Corporal, Corvus, Crossbow, Dart, Deacon, Delta, Diamant, Dove, Falcon, Firebee, Genie, Hawk, Holy Moses, Hound Dog, ICBM, Irish confetti, Jupiter, Lacrosse, Lark, Loki, Loon, Mace, Matador, Navaho, Nike, Nike Ajax, Pershing, Petrel, Polaris, Poseidon, Quail, Ram, Rascal, Redeye, Redstone, Regulus I, SLAM, Saturn, Scout, Sentinel, Sergeant, Shillelagh, Sidewinder, Skybolt, Snark, Spaerobee, Sparrow, Subroc, Super Talos, Talos, Tartar, Terrier, Thor, Thor Able Star, Thor-Agena, Thor-Delta, Tiny Tim, Titan, V-2, Viking, WAC-Corporal, Wagtail, Zuni, anchor rocket, antiaircraft rocket, antiradar rocket, atom-rocket, atomic warhead, ball, ballistic, barrage rocket, bat bomb, bird, bola, bolt, boomerang, brickbat, chemical rocket, countermissile, demolition rocket, discus, ejecta, ejectamenta, ejective, fin-stabilized rocket, fireworks rocket, flare rocket, flying tank, guided missile, high-altitude rocket, homing rocket, incendiary rocket, ion rocket, jaculatory, line-throwing rocket, liquid-fuel rocket, nuclear warhead, payload, projectile, quoit, ram rocket, retro-float light, retro-rocket, rock, rocket, rockoon, signal rocket, skyrocket, smoke rocket, snake, solid-fuel rocket, space rocket, spin-stabilized rocket, spinner, stone, supersonic rocket, thermonuclear warhead, throw stick, throwing-stick, torpedo, trajectile, trajectory missile, transoceanic rocket, vernier, vernier rocket, waddy, war rocket, warhead, window rocket

ROGET THESAURUS

missile

Arms

N arm, arms, weapon, deadly weapon, armament, armaments, armature, panoply, stand of arms, armor, armory, apparatus belli, ammunition, powder, powder and shot, cartridge, ball cartridge, cartouche, fireball, villainous saltpeter, dumdum bullet, explosive, gunpowder, guncotton, mercury fulminate, picrates, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, PETN, high explosive, trinitrotoluene, TNT, dynamite, melinite, cordite, lyddite, plastic explosive, plastique, pyroxyline, sword, saber, broadsword, cutlass, falchion, scimitar, cimeter, brand, whinyard, bilbo, glaive, glave, rapier, skean, Toledo, Ferrara, tuck, claymore, adaga, baselard, Lochaber ax, skean dhu, creese, kris, dagger, dirk, banger, poniard, stiletto, stylet, dudgeon, bayonet, sword-bayonet, sword-stick, side arms, foil, blade, steel, ax, bill, pole-ax, battle-ax, gisarme, halberd, partisan, tomahawk, bowie knife, ataghan, attaghan, yataghan, yatacban, assagai, assegai, good sword, trusty sword, naked sword, cold steel, club, mace, truncheon, staff, bludgeon, cudgel, life preserver, shillelah, sprig, hand staff, quarter staff, bat, cane, stick, knuckle duster, billy, blackjack, sandbag, waddy, gun, piece, firearms, artillery, ordnance, siege train, battering train, park, battery, cannon, gun of position, heavy gun, field piece, mortar, howitzer, carronade, culverin, basilisk, falconet, jingal, swivel, pederero, bouche a feu, petard, torpedo, mitrailleur, mitrailleuse, infernal machine, smooth bore, rifled cannon, Armstrong gun, Lancaster gun, Paixhan gun, Whitworth gun, Parrott gun, Krupp gun, Gatling gun, Maxim gun, machine gun, pompom, ten pounder, small arms, musket, musketry, firelock, fowling piece, rifle, fusil, caliver, carbine, blunderbuss, musketoon, Brown Bess, matchlock, harquebuss, arquebus, haguebut, pistol, postolet, petronel, small bore, breach-loader, muzzle-loader, revolver, repeater, Minis rifle, Enfield rifle, Flobert rifle, Westley Richards rifle, Snider rifle, Martini-Henry rifle, Lee-Metford rifle, Lee-Enfield rifle, Mauser rifle, magazine rifle, needle gun, chassepot, wind gun, air gun, automatic gun, automatic pistol, escopet, escopette, gunflint, gun- lock, hackbut, shooter, shooting iron, six-shooter, shotgun, Uzzi, assault rifle, Kalashnikov, bow, crossbow, balister, catapult, sling, battering ram, gunnery, ballistics, missile, bolt, projectile, shot, ball, grape, grape shot, canister shot, bar shot, cannon shot, langrel shot, langrage shot, round shot, chain shot, balista, ballista, slung shot, trebucbet, trebucket, bullet, slug, stone, brickbat, grenade, shell, bomb, carcass, rocket, congreve, congreve rocket, shrapnel, mitraille, levin bolt, levin brand, thunderbolt, pike, lance, spear, spontoon, javelin, dart, jereed, jerid, arrow, reed, shaft, bolt, boomerang, harpoon, gaff, eelspear, oxgoad, weet-weet, wommerah, cattle prod, chemical mace, en flute, nervos belli pecuniam infinitam.

Propulsion

N propulsion, projection, propelment, vis a tergo, force from behind, push, shove, ejaculate, ejection, throw, fling, toss, shot, discharge, shy, launch, release, projectiles, ballistics, archery, propeller, screw, twin screws, turbine, jet engine, missile, projectile, ball, discus, quoit, brickbat, shot, arrow, gun, ballista, countdown, windup, shooter, shot, archer, toxophilite, bowman, rifleman, marksman, good shot, crack shot, sharpshooter, propelled, propelling, propulsive, projectile.