missile

Pronunciation

• IPA: /mi.sil/^[1]

Forms

missile m (plural missiles)^[1]

Etymology

In its modern sense it is borrowed from English missile (1945),^[2][3][4] itself from Latin missile (“missile weapon”), the neuter of missilis (“that can be thrown”), from mittō (“to send, throw”).^[2][3][5][6] Rey notes that the English word does not seem to have come from Middle French.^[3] Wiktionary treats the word as inherited from Middle French.^[1]

French had earlier borrowed the Latin word directly: the noun “projectile” in 1636 and a Middle French adjective “missile” “thrown (of weapons)” from the late 15th century.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Mersenne uses it in 1636 for a projectile, “l'impression donnée au missile soit avec la main, le canon ou autrement”.^[2][7]

Semantic evolution

This learned noun was rarely used and did not last;^[3] the adjective was revived in armes missiles in 1840 and then disappeared.^[3][2] The modern sense, a self-propelled projectile guided by homing or remote control, is recorded in 1949 (Nouveau Larousse universel),^[2][4] replacing engin in many uses.^[3] Compounds include antimissile (1960) and lance-missiles (1971), and missilier (1970) is a missile specialist.^[3] In slang it can mean a very attractive woman.^[1]

Timeline

• Late 15th century – Middle French adjective missile “thrown”.^[2]
• 1636 – “Projectile” in Mersenne.^[2]
• 1840 – Armes missiles in the Académie supplement.^[2]
• 1945 – English missile in the modern sense.^[2]
• 1949 – The modern sense in French.^[2]
• 1960 – Antimissile.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A self-propelled guided missile: missile balistique, missile de croisière, missile sol-air.^[8][9]
2. (medicine) Médicament-missile: a drug modified to reach a specific target.^[8]
3. (obsolete) Any projectile.^[7][10]
4. (slang) A very attractive woman.^[1]

Related words

• mettre
• mission
• Latin missilis

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
5. ^ Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
6. ^ Wartburg, Walther von, et al. (1922–2002), Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, 25 vols., Bonn / Leipzig / Basel: Klopp / Teubner / Zbinden, p. 6/2, 173b
7. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
8. ^ a b Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Dictionnaire Le Robert en ligne, dictionnaire.lerobert.com (accessed 2024)
10. ^ Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette