nose cone

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ˈnose ˌcone,  n. [countable]

1. Rocketry the cone-shaped forward section of a rocket or guided missile.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

nose′ cone′, [Rocketry.]

1. Rocketry the cone-shaped forward section of a rocket or guided missile, including a heat shield and containing the payload.

• 1945–50

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

nose cone noun

1. the conical forward section of a missile, spacecraft, etc, designed to withstand high temperatures, esp during re-entry into the earth's atmosphere