English Lexicon

Projectile

/prəˈdʒɛk.taɪl/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #1500 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    An object that is thrown into the air with great force.

    "The athlete launched the javelin, a type of projectile, across the field."
  2. 2

    A missile designed to be fired from a weapon.

    "The cannon fired a heavy projectile that struck the target."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Synonyms (3)
Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The term 'projectile' originates from the Latin word 'projectilis', which means 'thrown forward'. It evolved through Middle French 'projectile' in the 17th century, retaining the meaning related to objects that are propelled or thrown.

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