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nose cone

nose cone

2 6.5
The pointed front part of a rocket, missile, or plane that protects important parts and reduces air resistance during flight
  • noun
  • /noʊz koʊn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : cono de nariz
  • Though still costly to manufacture, the advanced composite material has found use in the nose cone and wing leading edges of NASA's Space Shuttle, in the brakes of large commercial aircraft, and in the clutches and brakes of Formula 1 race cars.
  • nose cone of a rocket

And so it's this idea that in the nose cone of one missile on the sub, right?

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Examples

  • After the launch, the mission control team evaluated the performance of the nose cone during its flight.

  • Robin has climbed onto the nose cone.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Computer reports jettison nose cone: Ten seconds.

  • The platform rises, inserting the nose cone into the launch tube.

  • That nose cone contains six cluster warheads, each of which can separate targets.

  • Perched in the nose cone is a model Mars Global Surveyor space probe.

    Academic text (1995)
  • The nose cone of a Titan missile, its 20-megaton nuclear warhead wrapped in the steel re-entry shell.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • The nose cone of the rocket is designed to reduce air resistance during launch.

  • Engineers are testing the stability of the nose cone to ensure it protects the satellite during ascent.

Synonyms

nose
vsnose cone
58 5.6

The front part of something, like a plane or rocket

is specific to pointed conical fronts that reduce air resistance and protect payload
ogive
vsnose cone
  • Specialized
9.9

Pointed front part of a rocket that protects its contents from heat during flight

shapes the front to cut air resistance during flight

How Pointed

nose cone
  • Specialized
2 6.5

Surface Forms

nose cone singular
nose cones plural

Morphology

nose + cone

The meaning 'pointed, conical front section of a vehicle' is directly and compositionally derivable from 'nose' (the forward projecting end) combined with 'cone' (a shape narrowing to a point). This straightforward noun–noun compounding follows common English and cross‑linguistic patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The name nose cone combines nose, the 'front' part, and cone, a 'pointy' shape. It names the pointy front that cuts the air and protects what is inside, so today it means the front section of a rocket, missile, or aircraft.