ballistic
UK: bəˈlɪstɪk | US: bəˈlɪstɪk
adj. relating to the study of the motion of projectiles (e.g., bullets, missiles)
adj. (informal) extremely angry or out of control
ballistic = ball<projectile> + ist<agent suffix> + ic<adjective suffix>
- ball (from Greek ballo "to throw") → refers to thrown or propelled objects.
- ist (agent suffix, from Latin -ista) → denotes association with a field or action.
- ic (adjective suffix, from Latin -icus) → forms adjectives meaning "pertaining to."
Etymology Origin:
The word "ballistic" originates from the Greek ballo ("to throw"), reflecting its early association with projectile motion. The suffix -istic evolved via Latin to denote a scientific or systematic study, giving "ballistic" its modern technical meaning. The informal sense ("extremely angry") emerged in the 20th century, metaphorically likening explosive anger to uncontrolled projectile motion.
The missile's ballistic trajectory was calculated precisely.
He went ballistic when he discovered the mistake.
Ballistic missiles are a critical part of modern warfare.
The engineer specialized in ballistic materials.
Her reaction was so ballistic that everyone stepped back.