projectile

Where does the word "projectile" come from? It comes from Latin proicere, passing through New Latin before entering English (1660s).

Projectile’s story begins in Latin: proicere meant “to throw forward.” To throw forward, from pro- (forward) and iacere (to throw), with irregular past participle projectus. By 1600s, the word had taken hold in New Latin as projectile. Formed for an object thrown or launched forward. It reached English by 1660s as projectile. Galileo showed that projectiles follow a parabola. Today, projectile means an object propelled through the air by force, such as a missile or thrown item.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient proicere "to throw forward", to throw forward, from pro- (forward) and iacere (to throw), with irregular past participle projectus.
2. Stage 2 · New Latin · 1600s projectile "an object thrown or launched forward", formed for an object thrown or launched forward.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1660s projectile "an object propelled through the air, such as a missile", Galileo showed that projectiles follow a parabola.