1. missile(n = noun.artifact) - a rocket carrying a warhead of conventional or nuclear explosives; may be ballistic or directed by remote control;
is a kind of projectile, rocket, arm, weapon, weapon system
has parts: nose, vane
has particulars: air-to-air missile, air-to-ground missile, air-to-surface missile, ballistic missile, guided missile, heat-seeking missile, sidewinder
2. missile(n = noun.artifact) projectile - a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled;
is a kind of arm, weapon, weapon system
has particulars: arrow, boomerang, throw stick, throwing stick, bullet, slug, cannon ball, cannonball, round shot, dart, seeker, pellet, shot, spitball
Capable of being thrown; adapted for hurling or to be projected from the hand, or from any instrument or engine{2}, so as to strike an object at a distance. [1913 Webster]
"We bend the bow, or wing the missile dart." [1913 Webster]
1. A weapon thrown or projected or intended to be projected, as a lance, an arrow, or a bullet. [1913 Webster]
2. A rocket-propelled device designed to fly through the air and deliver a warhead of explosive materials to a target. [PJC]
"Numerous types of rocket-propelled missile{2} are now used in modern warfare. Some types with names indicating their range or function are:
missile, n.
1 an object or weapon suitable for throwing at a target or for discharge from a machine.
2 a weapon, esp. a nuclear weapon, directed by remote control or automatically.
Derivative:
missilery n.
Etymology:
L missilis f. mittere miss- send
N arm, arms, weapon, deadly weapon, armament, armaments, armature, panoply, stand of arms, armor, armory, apparatus belli, ammunition, powder, powder and shot, cartridge, ball cartridge, cartouche, fireball, villainous saltpeter, dumdum bullet, explosive, gunpowder, guncotton, mercury fulminate, picrates, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, PETN, high explosive, trinitrotoluene, TNT, dynamite, melinite, cordite, lyddite, plastic explosive, plastique, pyroxyline, sword, saber, broadsword, cutlass, falchion, scimitar, cimeter, brand, whinyard, bilbo, glaive, glave, rapier, skean, Toledo, Ferrara, tuck, claymore, adaga, baselard, Lochaber ax, skean dhu, creese, kris, dagger, dirk, banger, poniard, stiletto, stylet, dudgeon, bayonet, sword-bayonet, sword-stick, side arms, foil, blade, steel, ax, bill, pole-ax, battle-ax, gisarme, halberd, partisan, tomahawk, bowie knife, ataghan, attaghan, yataghan, yatacban, assagai, assegai, good sword, trusty sword, naked sword, cold steel, club, mace, truncheon, staff, bludgeon, cudgel, life preserver, shillelah, sprig, hand staff, quarter staff, bat, cane, stick, knuckle duster, billy, blackjack, sandbag, waddy, gun, piece, firearms, artillery, ordnance, siege train, battering train, park, battery, cannon, gun of position, heavy gun, field piece, mortar, howitzer, carronade, culverin, basilisk, falconet, jingal, swivel, pederero, bouche a feu, petard, torpedo, mitrailleur, mitrailleuse, infernal machine, smooth bore, rifled cannon, Armstrong gun, Lancaster gun, Paixhan gun, Whitworth gun, Parrott gun, Krupp gun, Gatling gun, Maxim gun, machine gun, pompom, ten pounder, small arms, musket, musketry, firelock, fowling piece, rifle, fusil, caliver, carbine, blunderbuss, musketoon, Brown Bess, matchlock, harquebuss, arquebus, haguebut, pistol, postolet, petronel, small bore, breach-loader, muzzle-loader, revolver, repeater, Minis rifle, Enfield rifle, Flobert rifle, Westley Richards rifle, Snider rifle, Martini-Henry rifle, Lee-Metford rifle, Lee-Enfield rifle, Mauser rifle, magazine rifle, needle gun, chassepot, wind gun, air gun, automatic gun, automatic pistol, escopet, escopette, gunflint, gun- lock, hackbut, shooter, shooting iron, six-shooter, shotgun, Uzzi, assault rifle, Kalashnikov, bow, crossbow, balister, catapult, sling, battering ram, gunnery, ballistics, missile, bolt, projectile, shot, ball, grape, grape shot, canister shot, bar shot, cannon shot, langrel shot, langrage shot, round shot, chain shot, balista, ballista, slung shot, trebucbet, trebucket, bullet, slug, stone, brickbat, grenade, shell, bomb, carcass, rocket, congreve, congreve rocket, shrapnel, mitraille, levin bolt, levin brand, thunderbolt, pike, lance, spear, spontoon, javelin, dart, jereed, jerid, arrow, reed, shaft, bolt, boomerang, harpoon, gaff, eelspear, oxgoad, weet-weet, wommerah, cattle prod, chemical mace, en flute, nervos belli pecuniam infinitam.
N propulsion, projection, propelment, vis a tergo, force from behind, push, shove, ejaculate, ejection, throw, fling, toss, shot, discharge, shy, launch, release, projectiles, ballistics, archery, propeller, screw, twin screws, turbine, jet engine, missile, projectile, ball, discus, quoit, brickbat, shot, arrow, gun, ballista, countdown, windup, shooter, shot, archer, toxophilite, bowman, rifleman, marksman, good shot, crack shot, sharpshooter, propelled, propelling, propulsive, projectile.
air-to-air missile, air-to-ground missile, air-to-surface missile, antiballistic missile, ballistic missile, ballistic missile defense organization, basic point defense missile system, cruise missile, fleet ballistic missile submarine, guided missile, guided missile cruiser, guided missile destroyer, guided missile frigate, heat-seeking missile, intercontinental ballistic missile, missile defence system, missile defense system, naval missile, surface-to-air missile, surface-to-air missile system