launch vehicle

noun

: a rocket used to launch a satellite or spacecraft

Examples of launch vehicle 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.
The Starship, standing 403 feet tall when fully stacked, is regarded as the world's largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever developed. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025 There are 456 track shoes, each weighing 2,200 pounds, for each transporter, which is used to move launch vehicles from their assembly location to the launching complex. Mars King, Twin Cities, 16 Sep. 2025 Musk has one particular rocket in mind to make this Red Planet dream come true — SpaceX's Starship, the biggest and most powerful launch vehicle ever built. Mike Wall, Space.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Russian President Vladimir Putin urged aerospace industry leaders on September 5 to press on with efforts to develop booster rocket engines for space launch vehicles and build on Russia's longstanding reputation as a leader in space technology, Reuters reports. Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 12 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for launch vehicle

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1960, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of launch vehicle was circa 1960

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Cite this Entry

“Launch vehicle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/launch%20vehicle. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.

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