ballistic
ballistic Lexical Profile
ballistic Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to projectiles, their flight characteristics, or the science of their motion through space under the influence of gravity.
"The aerospace engineers calculated the ballistic trajectory required for the atmospheric probe to re-enter safely."
Extremely and explosively angry, agitated, or irrational (chiefly used in the phrase 'go ballistic').
"The director went ballistic when he discovered that the film reels had been accidentally damaged in transit."
Word Nuance & Usage
In its informal sense meaning 'extremely angry,' 'ballistic' is used almost exclusively as a predicate adjective in the phrase 'go ballistic.'
• Rhymes for ballistic
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 18th century from Latin 'ballista' (an ancient siege engine for hurling heavy stones), derived from Ancient Greek 'ballein', meaning 'to throw'. The colloquial sense of 'going ballistic' arose in 1980s American slang by analogy with a missile launching out of control.