missile

1 of 2

adjective

mis·​sile ˈmi-səl 

chiefly British

-ˌsīl 

1

: capable of being thrown or projected to strike a distant object

2

: adapted for throwing or hurling missiles

missile

2 of 2

noun

: an object (such as a weapon) thrown or projected usually so as to strike something at a distance

stones, artillery shells, bullets, and rockets are missiles

: such as

a

: guided missile

b

: ballistic missile

Examples of missile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Until recently, the U.S. had limited any training of Ukrainians on U.S. weapons systems to Europe and was reluctant to send Patriots to Ukraine – over concerns the advanced anti-missile system and training of Ukrainians on U.S. soil would be seen as escalatory by Russian President Vladimir Putin. —Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 13 Jan. 2023

Senior Israeli lawmakers have already called on Netanyahu to provide Ukraine with anti-drone and anti-missile systems. —Tovah Lazaroff, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2023

Noun

Several of the missiles fired on Tuesday were estimated to have reached a maximum altitude of about 62 miles, Japan said. —Hakyung Kate Lee, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2024

At least seven missiles were fired by the Korean People’s Army on Tuesday, flying up to 250 miles and landing in the water between North Korea and Japan. —Timothy Nerozzi, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 5 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin missilis, from mittere to throw, send

First Known Use

Adjective

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing missile

• antiballistic missile
• anti-missile
• ballistic missile
• cruise missile
• guided missile
• surface-to-air missile
• surface-to-surface missile

Kids Definition

missile

noun

mis·​sile

ˈmis-əl

: an object (as a stone, arrow, artillery shell, bullet, or rocket) that is thrown, shot, or launched usually so as to strike something at a distance

Etymology

Noun

from Latin missile "a weapon that is thrown or shot rather than held in the hand," derived from missus, past participle of mittere "to send, throw" — related to emit