pro·jec·tile
prə-ˈjek-tᵊl 
-ˌtī(-ə)l
-ˌtī(-ə)l
chiefly British ˈprä-jik-ˌtī(-ə)l
1
: a body projected by external force and continuing in motion by its own inertia
especially
: a missile for a weapon (such as a firearm)
2
: a self-propelling weapon (such as a rocket)
1
: projecting or impelling forward
a projectile force
2
: capable of being thrust forward
Examples of projectile in a Sentence
Noun
The cannon fires a ten-pound projectile.
Someone threw a projectile at her car.
Recent Examples on the Web
John Bacon, USA TODAY, 21 May 2024
Late on Saturday night, a cosmic projectile turned the skies over Spain and Portugal a magnificent aquamarine.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for projectile 
Noun
Hussam Abu Safia, who runs the hospital, said the first missile hit the emergency department entrance, followed by another strike that kept patients and medics from going back in, and then a third projectile smashed against a nearby building.
—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 21 May 2024
Late on Saturday night, a cosmic projectile turned the skies over Spain and Portugal a magnificent aquamarine.
—Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 20 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for projectile
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'projectile.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near projectile
Cite this Entry
“Projectile.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/projectile. Accessed 28 May. 2024.
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