projectile

American  

[pruh-jek-til, -tahyl] / prəˈdʒɛk tɪl, -taɪl /

noun

1. an object fired from a gun with an explosive propelling charge, such as a bullet, shell, rocket, or grenade.

2. a body projected or impelled forward, as through the air.

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adjective

1. impelling or driving forward, as a force.

2. caused by impulse, as motion.

3. capable of being impelled forward, as a missile.

4. Zoology. protrusile, as the jaws of a fish.

projectile British  

/ prəˈdʒɛktaɪl /

noun

1. an object or body thrown forwards

2. any self-propelling missile, esp one powered by a rocket or the rocket itself

3. any object that can be fired from a gun, such as a bullet or shell

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adjective

1. capable of being or designed to be hurled forwards

2. projecting or thrusting forwards

3. zoology another word for protrusile

Etymology

Origin of projectile

1655–65; < New Latin, neuter of prōjectilis (adj.) projecting. See project, -ile

Example Sentences

“Increasingly, there’s a consensus that kinetic impact projectiles, which there are many different forms of, that these can never really be used safely to disperse crowds.”

From Salon

Multiple eyewitness accounts and videos showed air defence systems apparently engaging unidentified projectiles in the early hours of Thursday.

From BBC

In the past the department issued similar, if temporary moratoriums on the use of other projectile weapons that fire so-called skip and beanbag rounds.

From Los Angeles Times

On a small table, sealed in a Ziploc bag, were pieces of the projectile he suspects he may have been hit with.

From Los Angeles Times

Defense companies use antimony to harden bullets and strengthen armor-penetrating projectiles, while gallium is critical to the production of semiconductors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• arrow
• bullet
• dart
• missile
• rocket
• torpedo