ballistic

American  

[buh-lis-tik] / bəˈlɪs tɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to ballistics.

2. having its motion determined or describable by the laws of exterior ballistics.

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idioms

1. go ballistic, to become overwrought or irrational.

   went ballistic over the idea of a tax hike.

ballistic British  

/ bəˈlɪstɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to ballistics

2. denoting or relating to the flight of projectiles after power has been cut off, moving under their own momentum and the external forces of gravity and air resistance

3. (of a measurement or measuring instrument) depending on a brief impulse or current that causes a movement related to the quantity to be measured

   a ballistic pendulum

4. informal to become enraged or frenziedly violent

5. (of materials) strong enough to resist damage by projectile weapons

   ballistic nylon

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ballistic More Idioms  

1. see go ballistic.

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Other Word Forms

• ballistically adverb

Etymology

Origin of ballistic

First recorded in 1765–75; ballist(a) + -ic

Example Sentences

"We speak of ballistic transport when particles move freely and cover twice the distance in twice the time -- like a bullet traveling in a straight line."

From Science Daily

On Monday he met in Beijing with Xi, a day after the nuclear-armed North fired two ballistic missiles into the Sea of Japan.

From Barron's

Greenland is considered strategically well located to detect long-range ballistic missiles.

From Barron's

On Sunday, Seoul's military said Pyongyang fired ballistic missiles off its east coast.

From BBC

Hours before Lee departed for Beijing, Seoul's military said the North had fired a ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan -- its first test of the year.

From Barron's