1.
[syn: intercontinental ballistic missile, ICBM]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Missile \Mis"sile\, n. [L. missile.]
1. A weapon thrown or projected or intended to be projected,
as a lance, an arrow, or a bullet.
[1913 Webster]
2. A rocket-propelled device designed to fly through the air
and deliver a warhead of explosive materials to a target.
[PJC]
Note: Numerous types of rocket-propelled missile[2] are now
used in modern warfare. Some types with names
indicating their range or function are: antiaircraft
missile; ballistic missile; cruise missile;
antiballistic missile missile; air-to-air missile;
air-to-ground missile; guided missile;
intercontinental ballistic missile (IBM);
intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM);
surface-to-air missile.
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
ballistic missile \bal*lis"tic mis`sile\, n.
A rocket-propelled missile of long range which is guided only
during the powered portion of its flight, which usually takes
only a small part of the total flight time; -- contrasted
with guided missile.
Note: Ballistic missiles are sometimes referred to by their
range, such as an
intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) or an
intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM).
[PJC]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
intercontinental ballistic missile
n 1: a ballistic missile that is capable of traveling from one
continent to another [syn: intercontinental ballistic
missile, ICBM]