missile

1 of 2

adjective

mis·​sile ˈmi-səl How to pronounce missile (audio)
chiefly British
-ˌsīl How to pronounce missile (audio)
Synonyms of missilenext
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Trump moves to brand Houthis as a foreign terrorist organization again A U.S. official confirmed to ABC News that U.S. air and naval assets hit dozens of Houthi targets in Yemen, including missiles, radars, and drone and air defense systems. — Somayeh Malekian, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2025 Those who selected Reagan include David Hoffmann, a Naples, Florida real estate developer; Larry Connor, a thrill-seeking real estate billionaire; and Raj Sardana, a former missile engineer turned IT outsourcing billionaire. — Phoebe Liu, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for missile

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of missile was in 1610

Phrases Containing missile

Rhymes for missile

See All Rhymes for missile

Browse Nearby Words

missile
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Cite this Entry

“Missile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/missile. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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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

More from Merriam-Webster on missile

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for missile

Nglish: Translation of missile for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about missile

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