antiballistic missile
1
5.9
- noun
- /ˌæntiˌbælɪstɪk ˈmɪsəl/
- Specialized
:
misil antibalístico
- Our antiballistic missiles successfully destroyed 18 of those bombs.
- antiballistic missile system
- deploy antiballistic missiles
- national antiballistic missile
Examples
-
Does there exist, in principle, the possibility of creating a national antiballistic missile system while preserving the 1972 ABM treaty as the cornerstone of strategic stability?
Academic text (2000) -
By planning to deploy a national antiballistic missile system prohibited by the ABM treaty, the United States is heading in the opposite direction.
Academic text (2000) -
For different reasons, both sides were interested from the beginning in equal limitations on antiballistic missile systems.
Academic text (1990) -
More importantly, air defense systems are key and necessary components of most modern antiballistic missile systems.
Academic text (2015) -
Other antiballistic missile systems have been deployed since the First Persian Gulf War and are still on station.
Blog text (21) -
These consequences need to be thoroughly weighed against the hoped-for advantages of a national antiballistic missile system.
Academic text (2000) -
When antiballistic missile (ABM) systems are small enough, they do not distract from the arms reduction process.
Academic text (2010) -
He particularly called attention to NATO's expansion and warned that the deployment of a US antiballistic missile system into Eastern Europe would be a precipitous step toward a new arms race.
Academic text (2015) -
If China deploys more missiles that can hit Japan as well as Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait, Tokyo will react by deploying antiballistic missiles and strengthening its Self-Defense Forces.
Academic text (2007) -
The military is developing an advanced antiballistic missile to enhance national defense against threats.
Synonyms
15
4.6
A set of weapons and radar that find and stop enemy missiles before they hit
7
8.2
A missile that destroys incoming long-range missiles
1
6.3
A rocket that stops and destroys incoming long-range missiles before they reach their target
1
6.0
A system that detects and destroys incoming missiles before they reach a target
A weapon or system made to stop incoming missiles before they reach their target
How Powerful
- Specialized
1
5.9
- Specialized
55
6.3
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'antiballistic' denotes countering ballistic missiles (anti- + ballistic) and 'missile' denotes a rocket weapon, so together they mean a missile intended to counter ballistic missiles. This follows regular English prefixation and compounding patterns and would be inferable to a B1 learner who knows the constituent words.
Etymology
Antiballistic missile breaks into anti ('against') + ballistic ('a missile that flies high and far') + missile. So, it shows a missile sent up to stop and destroy another missile in the sky, which is why it means 'a missile that stops and destroys incoming missiles'.