Where does “ballistics” come from?
Ballistics derives from English ballista, from Ancient Greek βαλλίστρα, from the Ancient Greek verb βάλλω meaning "to throw," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH-.
ballistics (English): The science of objects that predominantly fly...
Definitions
- The science of objects that predominantly fly...
Ancestry of “ballistics”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | ballista | An ancient military engine, in the form of a... |
| 2 | Latin | ballista | ballista |
| 3 | Ancient Greek | βαλλίστρα | — |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | βάλλω | I throw, cast, hurl; I let fall; I strike, touch |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | *gʷəlnō | — |
Words derived from “ballistics”