/ˈmɪsaɪl/
#2582 of 5,000 Core 5000
Translation
A weapon that flies through the air and explodes when it hits its target.
Word origin
From Latin missilis, meaning able to be thrown, from mittere, meaning to send.
- Origin
- Latin
- Root
- mittere
- English cognates
- mission, message
Grammar
Gender
Pluralmissiles
Examples
fired .
You fire or launch a missile; it flies to its target and explodes.
.
Defence systems try to stop missiles while they are still flying.
.
In British English, anything thrown as a weapon can be called a missile.
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