missile

American  

[mis-uhl, -ahyl] / ˈmɪs əl, -aɪl /

noun

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

2. guided missile.

3. ballistic missile.

---

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

---

Etymology

Origin of missile

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

Example Sentences

More missile demand will benefit many companies, including L3Harris Technologies and RTX.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

But despite the U.S.’s success in bringing about a substantial reduction in Iranian missile and drone strikes, Cembalest said headlines about the conflict reminded him of the plot of Stephen King’s “Salem’s Lot.”

From MarketWatch • Apr. 6, 2026

Tehran now relies heavily on its Shahed drones, with its missile production and launch capacity severely diminished.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 5, 2026

Earlier in the day, authorities in Abu Dhabi said they were battling fires at a Borouge petrochemical facility caused by falling debris from an Iranian missile.

From BBC • Apr. 5, 2026

The US Army’s Jupiter-C missile had been tested successfully on several occasions, and the Americans were ahead of the Russians in terms of the systems that guided missiles on their trajectories into space.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

Related Words

• ammunition
• bomb
• bullet
• projectile
• rocket