An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

A missile that after being launched and guided in the early part of its flight, travels unpowered in a ballistic trajectory.

→ ballistic; → missile.

An object or weapon for throwing, hurling, or shooting. → ballistic missile.

From Fr. missile, from L. missile "weapon that can be thrown," from missus, p.p. of mittere "to send."

Mušak, literally "little mouse," or "mouse like," from a firework explosive that was likened to a mouse, from muš, → mouse, + -ak diminutive or similarity suffix.