balistique

ballistic

adjective bah-lees-TEEK Rare

Origin: From Greek 'ballein', to throw.

Usage Note

Balistique is used in military and physics contexts ('missile balistique', 'trajectoire balistique'). The noun la balistique is the scientific discipline studying projectile motion. The phrase partir en balistique is a colloquial expression meaning 'to fly off the handle' or 'to go ballistic', borrowed directly from the English idiom.

Examples

"Le missile suit une trajectoire balistique."

Natural Translation

The missile follows a ballistic trajectory.

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