the path described by an object moving in air or space under the influence of such forces as thrust, wind resistance, and gravity, esp the curved path of a projectile a curve that cuts a family of curves or surfaces at a constant angle
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
tra•jec•to•ry /trəˈdʒɛktəri/USA pronunciation
n. [countable], pl. -ries.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Aerospacea curve that describes the path of a bullet, shell, etc., in its flight.
tra•jec•to•ry
(trə jek′tə rē),USA pronunciation n., pl. -ries.
tra•jec•tile
(trə jek′til, -tīl)USA pronunciation, adj.
tra•jec•tion
(trə jek′shən)USA pronunciation, n.
- the curve described by a projectile, rocket, or the like in its flight.
- [Geom.]a curve or surface that cuts all the curves or surfaces of a given system at a constant angle.
- Neo-Latin trājectōria, noun, nominal use of feminine of Medieval Latin trājectōrius cast-ing over. See traject, -tory1
- 1660–70;
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'trajectory' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
DOVAP
- aerodynamic trajectory
- ballistic missile
- ballistic trajectory
- ballistic wind
- draw
- drift
- fade
- flight path
- gun
- inertial upper stage
- injection
- intercontinental ballistic missile
- intermediate range ballistic missile
- lob
- loop
- midcourse
- missile
- orthogonal trajectory
- overshoot
- pushover
- rifle
- suborbital
- swing by
- trench mortar