ballistics

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. The study of the dynamics of projectiles.
2. n. The study of the flight characteristics of projectiles.
3. n. The study of the functioning of firearms.
4. n. The study of the firing, flight, and effects of ammunition.
5. adj. Of, relating to, or engaging in the study of ballistics: a ballistics lab; ballistics experts.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The science or art of discharging large missiles by the use of the ballista or other engine.
2. n. The science of the motion of projectiles.

Wiktionary

1. n. physics The science of objects that predominately fly under the effects of gravity, momentum and atmospheric drag, and dealing with details of their behaviour at the origin and destination of their flight, as of bullets or missiles or rockets.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. The science or art of hurling missile weapons by the use of an engine.
2. n. The science treating the motion of projectiles in flight, especially when they are in free fall within the earth's gravitational field.
3. n. The study of the characteristics of a cartridge fired from a firearm, and of the processes occurring during the discharge of a firearm.
4. n. The division within a police department which studies the characteristics of cartridges fired from a firearm; the ballistics department. The characteristics of the weapons and bullets fired may be used as evidence in criminal investigations.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. the science of flight dynamics
2. n. the trajectory of an object in free flight