missile
- 01 C1 Advanced
any object, like a stone or a bottle, that is thrown at someone to hurt them.
any object thrown or projected as a weapon. In legal or formal reporting, this often refers to improvised objects used during civil unrest.
Simple“The protesters began throwing stones and other missiles at the line of police.”
In context“The crowd was warned that anyone seen launching missiles at the security forces would be detained immediately.”
UsageUsually refers to improvised weapons in a riot or protest context.
Teacher's tipThis sense is more common in formal police reports or news coverage of protests than in everyday conversation.
Synonyms
Usage missile capability · missile attacks · missile attack
“Russia has held command of the air throughout its war in Ukraine, unleashing glide bombs, long-range drones and missiles.”
“On Wednesday, North Korea fired a ballistic missile towards the sea off the Korean Peninsula’s east coast, just six days after firing another missile.”
From Latin missile (“thrown weapon, projectile”), neuter of missilis (“throwable, capable of being thrown”), from mittere (“to send”). From 1611. Compare Middle French missile (“projectile”), from 1636.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.