missile

American  

[mis-uhl, -ahyl] / ˈmɪs əl, -aɪl /

noun

missiles plural

1. an object or weapon for throwing, hurling, or shooting, as a stone, bullet, or arrow.

2. guided missile.

3. ballistic missile.

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adjective

1. capable of being thrown, hurled, or shot, as from the hand or a gun.

2. used or designed for discharging missiles.

missile British  

/ ˈmɪsaɪl /

noun

1. any object or weapon that is thrown at a target or shot from an engine, gun, etc

2. 1. a rocket-propelled weapon that flies either in a fixed trajectory (ballistic missile) or in a trajectory that can be controlled during flight (guided missile)

   2. ( as modifier )

      a missile carrier

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• missiles
  plural

Etymology

Origin of missile

1600–10; < Latin, neuter of missilis, equivalent to miss ( us ) (past participle of mittere to send, throw) + -ilis -ile

Explanation

A missile is an object that can be projected toward a target. Examples include a spitball shot through a straw, a poison-tipped arrow sent via bow, or a self-propelled heat-seeking rocket, designed to take out targets at long range. When you learn about the Cuban Missile Crisis in history, the missiles in question were guided rockets loaded with nuclear warheads, supplied to the Cubans by the Soviet Union. A missile defense strategy is one where you send up defensive missile to blow up your enemy's offensive ones before they can reach you.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

missile missiles

Kyiv has also added a new cruise missile, the Flamingo, to its arsenal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Central Command said it had hit about 140 targets already, largely Iranian missile and drone launch sites, naval targets and communications facilities.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 12, 2026

The two countries "quickly canvassed" the Chinese missile test, Luxon told reporters in a briefing after the talks.

From Barron's ● Jul. 11, 2026

Kyiv is trying to mitigate the shortage of missile interceptors that has left its cities exposed to Russia’s ballistic missiles.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

Soon after this I was sent once more to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, for still more missile and radar schooling.

From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen

Ukraine’s long-range campaign is increasingly successful as the country steps up production of drones and missiles, many of which are traveling further and carrying bigger warheads.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Jordan's army said it had intercepted four Iranian missiles.

From Barron's ● Jul. 13, 2026

At NATO’s annual summit in Ankara, Turkey, on Wednesday, Trump said he would let Ukraine manufacture Patriot defense systems, sophisticated U.S. mobile batteries that can shoot down enemy ballistic missiles.

From Slate ● Jul. 10, 2026

Ukraine is believed to be using its domestically produced FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles for such strikes against well-protected targets such as military production sites.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

He emphasized the central point: if Khrushchev did not remove the missiles, the Americans would.

From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin

Related Words

• ammunition
• bomb
• bullet
• projectile
• rocket