Science & TechnologyGreek → English
Ballistic
/bəˈlɪstɪk/adjective
Moving under gravity and momentum alone, after any propulsion has stopped.
The Greek roots
βάλλειν
bállein
to throw, hurl
Literally: “having to do with throwing”
Follow a root:βάλλειν12 words
The story of the word
The Roman ballista, a torsion catapult, took its name from Greek βάλλειν, to throw. That verb is also behind problem, symbol and devil, since a διάβολος is one who throws accusations across. Going ballistic is much later slang, from a missile that has burnt its fuel and is now merely falling.
- How it travelled
- Ancient Greek → Latin → English
- First recorded
- 18th century
Same family
problemsymbolemblemparablehyperbole
In a sentence
The capsule followed a ballistic path once the engines cut out.
Ballistic evidence tied the two shootings together.