Library / English Dictionary

PROJECTILE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled

Synonyms:

missile; projectile

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("projectile" is a kind of...):

arm; weapon; weapon system (any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "projectile"):

arrow (a projectile with a straight thin shaft and an arrowhead on one end and stabilizing vanes on the other; intended to be shot from a bow)

boomerang; throw stick; throwing stick (a curved piece of wood; when properly thrown will return to thrower)

bullet; slug (a projectile that is fired from a gun)

cannon ball; cannonball; round shot (a solid projectile that in former times was fired from a cannon)

dart (a small narrow pointed missile that is thrown or shot)

seeker (a missile equipped with a device that is attracted toward some kind of emission (heat or light or sound or radio waves))

pellet; shot (a solid missile discharged from a firearm)

spitball (a projectile made by chewing a piece of paper and shaping it into a sphere)

Derivation:

projectile (impelling or impelled forward)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine

Synonyms:

projectile; rocket

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("projectile" is a kind of...):

vehicle (a conveyance that transports people or objects)

Meronyms (parts of "projectile"):

rocket; rocket engine (a jet engine containing its own propellant and driven by reaction propulsion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "projectile"):

missile (a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control)

multistage rocket; step rocket (a rocket having two or more rocket engines (each with its own fuel) that are fired in succession and jettisoned when the fuel is exhausted)

research rocket; test instrument vehicle; test rocket (a rocket fired for test purposes)

Derivation:

projectile (impelling or impelled forward)

 II. (adjective) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Impelling or impelled forward

Example:

a projectile missile

Classified under:

Adjectives

Similar:

dynamic; dynamical (characterized by action or forcefulness or force of personality)

Derivation:

projectile (a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled)

projectile (any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine)

Credits