missile

noun

: 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

Examples of missile in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Strategists who’ve studied the issue for the Navy say there’s a case for a warship somewhat larger than current Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which displace less than 10,000 tons and carry a little under 100 vertical launch cells for missiles and interceptors. —Editorial, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026

Iran's armed forces reportedly fired missiles at unspecified targets late Thursday, according to state media outlet Fars. —Hugh Leask,joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 29 May 2026

Partly driven by those fears, Britain and Poland’s prime ministers are due to finalize a security agreement today, while France is reportedly looking to join a Germany-UK program to produce new long-range missiles, and a Britain-Italy-Japan fighter jet partnership could soon expand. —semafor.com, 29 May 2026

Facing a grinding stalemate and war fatigue at home, Putin is preparing a major escalation of missile strikes on Kyiv to restore his image of control and momentum. —Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1656, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing missile

• antiballistic missile
• anti-missile
• ballistic missile
• cruise missile
• guided missile
• surface-to-air missile
• surface-to-surface missile

Rhymes for missile

• bristle
• fissile
• gristle
• missal
• nissl
• thistle
• whistle
• abyssal
• dismissal
• epistle

Kids Definition

missile

noun

mis·​sile

ˈmis-əl

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

Etymology

from Latin missile "a weapon that is thrown or shot rather than held in the hand," derived from missus, past participle of mittere "to send, throw" — related to emit