Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A fired, thrown, or otherwise propelled object, such as a bullet, having no capacity for self-propulsion.
  • noun A self-propelled missile, such as a rocket.
  • adjective Capable of being impelled or hurled forward.
  • adjective Driving forward; impelling.
  • adjective Zoology Capable of being thrust outward; protrusile.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Impelling, throwing, driving, or shooting forward: as, a projectile force.
  • Caused by impulse; impelled or driven forward.
  • In zoology, capable of being thrust forward or protruded, as the jaws of a fish; protrusile.
  • noun A body projected, or impelled forward by force, particularly through the air.
  • noun Specifically, a missile intended to be projected from a cannon by the explosive force of gunpowder or some similar agent.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Projecting or impelling forward.
  • adjective Caused or imparted by impulse or projection; impelled forward.
  • noun A body projected, or impelled forward, by force; especially, a missile adapted to be shot from a firearm.
  • noun (Mech.) A part of mechanics which treats of the motion, range, time of flight, etc., of bodies thrown or driven through the air by an impelling force.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun an object intended to be or having been fired from a weapon.
  • noun physics any object propelled through space by the application of a force.
  • adjective of an object In the manner of something fired from a weapon.
  • adjective of a weapon Designed to discharge projectiles towards its target.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun any vehicle self-propelled by a rocket engine
  • noun a weapon that is forcibly thrown or projected at a targets but is not self-propelled
  • adjective impelling or impelled forward

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[New Latin proiectile, neuter of prōiectilis, that can be thrown, from Latin prōiectus, past participle of prōicere, to throw out; see project.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Medieval Latin prōiectilis ("projectile"), from Latin prōiectus, perfect passive participle of prōiciō ("throw forth; extend; expel").

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Examples

Comments

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  • Ah, so versatile. Everything from baby vomit to bombs.

    October 2, 2007

  • Indeed. A handy little word.

    October 2, 2007

  • Buford was in the 77th projectile of his class. :oP

    October 2, 2007

  • Herbie flinched and cried out as the percentile ricocheted off the rock he was hiding behind.

    October 2, 2007

  • Haha! Excellent, oroboros!

    October 2, 2007