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

  1. The science of objects that predominantly fly...

Ancestry of “ballistics”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishballistaAn ancient military engine, in the form of a...
2Latinballistaballista
3Ancient Greekβαλλίστραcatapult, engine of war
4Ancient GreekβάλλωI throw, cast, hurl; I let fall; I strike, touch
5Proto-Hellenic*gʷəlnō—

Words derived from “ballistics”

Every word from Proto-Hellenic *gʷəlnō →Every word from Ancient Greek βάλλω →Every word from Ancient Greek βαλλίστρα →