ballistic missile

noun

, Rocketry.

1. any missile that, after being launched and possibly guided during takeoff, travels unpowered in a ballistic trajectory.

ballistic missile

noun

1. a missile that has no wings or fins and that follows a ballistic trajectory when its propulsive power is discontinued

Word History and Origins

Origin of ballistic missile¹

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Inter-continental ballistic missiles, the descendants of those earlier V-2s, are designed to carry thermonuclear payloads into space before crashing back to Earth with catastrophic effect.

From Popular-Science

The submarine-launched missiles, the intercontinental ballistic missiles, the land-based leg of the triad, the bombers — all of these are aging.

From Freakonomics

He was an advocate of nuclear arms control and led opposition to Bush’s plan for a ballistic missile defense system on grounds that it was too untested to warrant expensive implementation.

From Washington Post

The most fantastical, and least attainable, vision for directed energy set out by the Air Force is using it to thwart ballistic missiles.

From Popular-Science

Both Ri and Pak were major figures in the program for test-firing ballistic missiles and developing nuclear warheads, which has been out of the news of late while Kim tries to fire up his economy.

From The Daily Beast

Russia is also working on new a fleet of ballistic missile submarines, attack submarines to operate under the ice caps.

From The Daily Beast

Instead Israel embarked on building an anti-tactical ballistic missile program called Arrow.

From The Daily Beast

Imagine a plane fast enough to catch up with an invading ballistic missile and shoot it down.

From Project Gutenberg

The parallel progress in the intercontinental ballistic missile effort will be advanced by our plans for acceleration.

From Project Gutenberg

The Arias intercontinental ballistic missile program has been marked by rapid development as evidenced by recent successful tests.

From Project Gutenberg

The new M-X missile program to enhance our land-based intercontinental ballistic missile force continues to make progress.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• intercontinental ballistic missile
• surface-to-air missile