rocket

1 of 3

noun (1)

rock·​et ˈrä-kət How to pronounce rocket (audio)
rä-ˈket
: any of several plants of the mustard family: such as
a

rocket

2 of 3

noun (2)

rock·​et ˈrä-kət How to pronounce rocket (audio)
often attributive
1
a
: a firework consisting of a case partly filled with a combustible composition fastened to a guiding stick and propelled through the air by the rearward discharge of the gases liberated by combustion
b
: a similar device used as an incendiary weapon or as a propelling unit (as for a lifesaving line)
2
: a jet engine that operates on the same principle as the firework rocket, consists essentially of a combustion chamber and an exhaust nozzle, carries either liquid or solid propellants which provide the fuel and oxygen needed for combustion and thus make the engine independent of the oxygen of the air, and is used especially for the propulsion of a missile (such as a bomb or shell) or a vehicle (such as an airplane)
3
: a rocket-propelled bomb, missile, projectile, or vehicle

rocket

3 of 3

verb

rocketed; rocketing; rockets

transitive verb

: to convey or propel by means of or as if by a rocket

intransitive verb

1
: to rise up swiftly, spectacularly, and with force
rocketed to the top of the list
2
: to travel rapidly in or as if in a rocket

Examples of rocket in a Sentence

Verb Sales rocketed from 1,000 units last week to 5,000 units this week. The train rocketed through the tunnel. The spacecraft rocketed into outer space. Her novel rocketed to the top of the best-seller list. Their album rocketed up the charts. His role in the movie rocketed him to fame.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
One day while exploring the rocket company down the road in West Texas, Flynn flies onto a rocket ship that accidentally takes off with Flynn on board. Gillian Telling, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Intuitive Machines, a relatively small aerospace firm based in Houston, was responsible for the lander, which launched atop a SpaceX rocket. David W. Brown, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024 Built in Colorado, the satellite roared into space Monday afternoon atop a SpaceX rocket launched from the California coast. Trevor Hughes, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024 Symposium on rockets, race cars, STEM careers and more. The Indianapolis Star, 1 Mar. 2024 When a nascent technology like AI rockets to prominence, investors must catch up, and learn to be discerning. Byallie Garfinkle, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024 The Palestinian militant group Hamas took credit Wednesday for launching as many as 40 rockets from Lebanon into Israel. Diego Ibarra Sánchez, NPR, 29 Feb. 2024 These include the successful stage separation and the execution of the first hot staging maneuver—an unprecedented feat for a rocket of this size. George Dvorsky / Gizmodo, Quartz, 27 Feb. 2024 Tangent SpaceX confirmed an additional 24 Starlink satellites had been successfully launched into space from Florida atop a Falcon 9 rocket on Sunday. Robert Hart, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
Verb
Rivian shares rocketed up over 14% after the company unveiled the R2, R3 and R3X. William Gavin, Quartz, 7 Mar. 2024 This version can rocket from zero to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, though its 134 mph top speed does leave something to be desired. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2024 Steve Lawrence, a king among easy-listening crooners who rocketed to fame in the ’50s and ’60s as half of the duo Steve and Eydie, died Thursday at age 88. Chris Willman, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 Down to his final arrow, Mariano struck the $1,500,000 case, which rocketed his team to first. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 5 Mar. 2024 This meant operating profit (excluding exceptional items) rocketed to €3.5 billion from €1.3 billion in 2022. Royston Wild, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 If the start of public trading attracts a frenzy of interest, shares bought on the eve of trading can immediately rocket in value. Robert Peck, WIRED, 23 Feb. 2024 Both electricity and gas revenue in 2023 rocketed higher at a pace that greatly exceeded the Bay Area inflation rate, as measured by the consumer price index, over the same 12 months. George Avalos, The Mercury News, 22 Feb. 2024 When halftime ended, motocross bikers rocketed up a thin ramp and performed midair stunts. Paul McAdory, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rocket.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from Middle French roquete, borrowed from Italian (15th-century) ruchetta, rochetta, from ruca "arugula" (going back to Latin ērūca "arugula, caterpillar," of uncertain origin) + -etta, diminutive suffix, going back to Latin -itta

Note: The sense "caterpillar" of Latin ērūca has been taken as the original one, with the plant so called from the resemblance of its hairy stems to a caterpillar. If this is the case, ērūca could be a derivative of *ēr "hedgehog" (see urchin); the suffix may be the same as in festūca "stalk, straw," lactūca "lettuce," and verrūca "wart."

Noun (2)

Italian rocchetta, literally, small distaff, from diminutive of rocca distaff, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rocko distaff

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1530, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1837, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of rocket was in 1530

Dictionary Entries Near rocket

Cite this Entry

“Rocket.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rocket. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

rocket

1 of 2 noun
rock·​et ˈräk-ət How to pronounce rocket (audio)
1
: a firework that is driven through the air by the gases produced by a burning substance
2
: a jet engine that operates like a firework rocket but carries its own oxygen for burning the fuel and is therefore able to run without the oxygen of the air
3
: an object (as a missile) that is driven by a rocket

rocket

2 of 2 verb
1
: to transport by a rocket
rocket a satellite into orbit
2
: to rise swiftly
a singer who rocketed to stardom
3
: to travel rapidly in or as if in a rocket
Etymology

Noun

from Italian rocchetta, literally "a small stick or rod on which wool is held for spinning," from rocca "distaff"; probably so called because of its shape

More from Merriam-Webster on rocket

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