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 nearly 400 feet tall when fully stacked, is regarded as the world’s largest and most powerful launch vehicle ever developed. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2025 Flight 10 will fly Booster 16 and Ship 37, both Block 2 variants of the evolving launch vehicle, as SpaceX introduces incremental upgrades for each mission. Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Aug. 2025 There are more than a hundred satellite launch vehicle (SLV) companies in operation all over the world. Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025 The agency has also supplied the body of the satellite, the launch vehicle and launch services. Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 July 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 Aug. 2025.

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