projectile

/prəˈdʒɛktaɪl/

/prəˈdʒɛktaɪl/

Other forms: projectiles

A projectile is a type of weapon that is propelled towards its target. If you fire a cannon, the cannonball is a projectile, but the cannon itself is not.

When projectile refers to a weapon, it is always propelled by something else. Think of the bullet in a gun or a spear thrown by a person. A rocket, which is self-propelled, is also called a projectile. As an adjective, projectile means "propelled forward" as in a projectile force or weapon. Sometimes you see the expression, projectile vomiting, a particularly violent way to throw up.

Definitions of projectile

1. noun

   a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled
   synonyms: missile

   types:

   arrow

   a projectile with a straight thin shaft and an arrowhead on one end and stabilizing vanes on the other; intended to be shot from a bow

   boomerang, throw stick, throwing stick

   a curved piece of wood; when properly thrown will return to thrower

   bullet, slug

   a projectile that is fired from a gun

   cannon ball, cannonball, round shot

   a solid projectile that in former times was fired from a cannon

   dart

   a small narrow pointed missile that is thrown or shot

   seeker

   a missile equipped with a device that is attracted toward some kind of emission (heat or light or sound or radio waves)

   pellet, shot

   a solid missile discharged from a firearm

   spitball

   a projectile made by chewing a piece of paper and shaping it into a sphere

   banderilla

   a decorated dart that is implanted in the neck or shoulders of the bull during a bull fight

   BB, BB shot

   a small pellet fired from an air rifle or BB gun

   bird shot, buckshot, duck shot

   small lead shot for shotgun shells

   broad arrow

   an arrow with a wide barbed head

   butt shaft

   a blunt arrow without a barb; an arrow used for target practice

   dumdum, dumdum bullet

   a soft-nosed small-arms bullet that expands when it hits a target and causes a gaping wound

   full metal jacket

   a lead bullet that is covered with a jacket of a harder metal (usually copper)

   grape, grapeshot

   a cluster of small projectiles fired together from a cannon to produce a hail of shot

   kiley, kylie

   an Australian boomerang; one side flat and the other convex

   ball, musket ball

   a solid projectile that is shot by a musket

   quarrel

   an arrow that is shot from a crossbow; has a head with four edges

   rifle ball

   a bullet designed to be fired from a rifle; no longer made spherical in shape

   rubber bullet

   a bullet made of hard rubber; designed for use in crowd control

   type of:

   arm, weapon, weapon system

   any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
2. noun

   a vehicle, firework, or weapon propelled through the air or space by a controlled blast of gases from an engine that carries its own fuel and oxygen
   synonyms: rocket

   types:

   missile

   a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control

   multistage rocket, step rocket

   a rocket having two or more rocket engines (each with its own fuel) that are fired in succession and jettisoned when the fuel is exhausted

   research rocket, test instrument vehicle, test rocket

   a rocket fired for test purposes

   air-to-air missile

   a missile designed to be launched from one airplane at another

   air-to-ground missile, air-to-surface missile

   a missile designed to be launched from an airplane at a target on the ground

   ballistic missile

   a missile that is guided in the first part of its flight but falls freely as it approaches target

   guided missile

   a rocket-propelled missile whose path can be controlled during flight either by radio signals or by internal homing devices

   heat-seeking missile

   a missile with a guidance system that directs it toward targets emitting infrared radiation (as the emissions of a jet engine)

   sidewinder

   air-to-air missile with infrared homing device

   sounding rocket

   a research rocket used to obtain information about the atmosphere at various altitudes

   type of:

   vehicle

   a conveyance that transports people or objects
3. adjective

   impelling or impelled forward
   “a projectile force”

   “a projectile missile”

   synonyms:

   dynamic, dynamical

   characterized by action or forcefulness or force of personality