missile

adjective mis·sile \ ˈmi-səl , chiefly British -ˌsīl \

Updated on: 19 May 2018

Definition of missile

1 : capable of being thrown or projected to strike a distant object

2 : adapted for throwing or hurling missiles

Recent Examples of missile from the Web

Missile launches and nuclear tests are banned by the U.N. Security Council, but North Korea has paid no attention to its resolutions.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "Trump: 'All options are on the table' after North Korea missile launch," 29 Aug. 2017
Missile launches and nuclear tests are banned by the U.N. Security Council, but North Korea has paid no attention to its resolutions.

— john wagner, Washington Post, "Trump: ‘All options are on the table’ after North Korea launched missile over Japan," 29 Aug. 2017
Missile experts say the North’s shift to solids came as a surprise.

— david e. sanger and william j. broad, New York Times, "North Korean Tests Add Urgency for U.S. to Fix Defense Flaws," 29 May 2017
Missile experts haven't identified the four intermediate-range missiles that landed on Monday off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, about 620 miles from its...

— jonathan cheng, WSJ, "North Korea Missile Test Stirs ICBM Fears," 7 Mar. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'missile.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of missile

Latin missilis, from mittere to throw, send

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1610

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

missile

noun

Definition of missile

: 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

See missile defined for English-language learners

See missile defined for kids

Recent Examples of missile from the Web

As recently as 2012, Pyongyang pledged to place a moratorium on nuclear and missile testing in exchange for food aid.

— ed kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "North Korea Appears to Be Shutting Down Its Nuke-Testing Site," 15 May 2018
There has been speculation that the mountain’s collapse may have prompted North Korea’s recent decision to suspend its nuclear and missile testing.

— james rogers, Fox News, "'10 times larger than Hiroshima': How North Korea's huge nuclear blast caused a mountain to collapse," 11 May 2018
He was convicted in March 2016 and sentenced to 10 years hard labor, about a week after Warmbier’s conviction — both sentences were handed down shortly after the U.S. had levied steeper sanctions against North Korea in response to missile testing.

— feliz solomon, Time, "Who Are the Three Americans That Have Been Released by North Korea?," 10 May 2018
Mr Netanyahu’s presentation came less than a day after missile strikes on targets in Syria killed over a dozen people, many of them Iranians.

— The Economist, "Binyamin Netanyahu tries to convince Donald Trump to scuttle the Iran deal," 1 May 2018
The two men are expected to discuss the North’s nuclear weapons and missile programs and an official end to the Korean War, which ended in a stalemate in 1953 after three years of fighting.

— michael holtz, The Christian Science Monitor, "South Korea's mission at Friday summit: Proving talk with Kim is worth the while," 26 Apr. 2018
In 2012, the North launched a long-range rocket after agreeing to a moratorium on missile testing.

— choe sang-hun, New York Times, "Will Kim Jong-un Trade His Nuclear Arsenal to Rebuild Economy?," 21 Apr. 2018
Oil retreated from its highest close in more than three years as Middle East tensions abated on speculation that U.S.-led military intervention in Syria won't go beyond the weekend's missile strikes.

— grant smith, Houston Chronicle, "Oil slips on speculation Syria intervention will be limited," 16 Apr. 2018
April 14) AP Syrian Americans in metro Detroit who oppose Syrian President Bashar Assad applauded the U.S.-led missile strikes in Syria, but said Saturday that more is needed to dislodge the ruler from power.

— niraj warikoo, Detroit Free Press, "Some metro Detroit Syrian Americans say more needs to be done to get Assad out of power," 14 Apr. 2018

First Known Use of missile

circa 1656

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Other Military Terms

bivouac, logistics, petard, salient, sally, supernumerary, tactical

MISSILE Defined for English Language Learners

missile

noun

Definition of missile for English Language Learners

: an object that is thrown, shot, or launched as a weapon; especially : a rocket that explodes when it hits a distant target

MISSILE Defined for Kids

missile

noun mis·sile \ ˈmi-səl \

Definition of missile for Students

: an object (as a stone, arrow, bullet, or rocket) that is dropped, thrown, shot, or launched usually so as to strike something at a distance

Word Root of missile

The Latin word mittere, meaning “to send,” and its form missus give us the roots mit and miss. Words from the Latin mittere have something to do with sending. A missile is an object, such as a bullet, arrow, or rocket, that is sent through the air so as to hit a target. To emit is to send forth or give out. To omit, or leave out, is to send away so as to not be included. To permit, or allow, is to send something through without stopping it.