ballistics
buh-LIS-tiks
/bəˈlɪstɪks/
The science of projectiles and firearms; the study of the effects of being fired on a bullet, cartridge, or gun.
Often used to refer to the matching of a specific bullet to a specific gun.
The story behind the word. This word comes from the Greek 'ballein', meaning 'to throw'. It's the same root that gave us 'ball' and 'ballet' (which originally involved rhythmic movement), but here it focuses on the violent 'throwing' of a bullet.
Word family
- ballistic (adjective): Relating to projectiles or their flight.
Collocations
- ballistics report
- ballistics expert
- terminal ballistics
Idioms & expressions
- go ballistic
Example sentences
- "Ballistics is the study of the flight path of a projectile." Scientific definition.
- "The ballistics report confirmed that the bullet was fired from a 9mm handgun." Criminal investigation.
Memory hook
Think of a 'ball' being thrown. Ballistics is the science of how that 'ball' (bullet) travels. The science of the throw.
When not to use
Do not use when referring to explosives or chemical weapons; it is strictly about the physics of flight and impact.
Fun facts
- The idiom 'go ballistic' refers to a missile that has lost its guidance system and is following a purely gravity-driven (ballistic) path, usually resulting in a crash.
Explore more words
trajectory, forensics, forensic, ordnance, cartography, Dynamics
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