interceptor
Americannoun
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a person or thing that intercepts.
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Military. a fighter aircraft with fast-reaction capabilities, used to identify and, if appropriate, engage other aircraft in combat.
noun
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a person or thing that intercepts
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a fast highly manoeuvrable fighter aircraft used to intercept enemy aircraft
Etymology
Origin of interceptor
1590–1600; < Latin, equivalent to intercep- ( see intercept) + -tor -tor ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ukraine currently uses Elon Musk's Starshield, Starlink's military-grade satellite service, for its battlefield communications, mid-range strikes on Russian-occupied territory and interceptor drones.
From Barron's ● Oct. 16, 2026
This air-defense system gives Ukraine a head start as it develops a cheap, reliable interceptor for jet drones.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
The i writes that the project "would link new radar, command systems and interceptor missiles" into a single network.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Also notable was Mr. Meink’s remark that a defensive space-based interceptor moved “from initial contract to flight-ready hardware in less than one year.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
To boot, Onofre’s TV antenna was so tall, so elaborate, so pronged, and so replete with squiggling copper and aluminum tubing and boosters, that it looked like a DEW-line radar interceptor in Greenland.
From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
