Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “trajectory” come from?

Trajectory comes from New Latin trajectoria, meaning "a throwing across," derived from Latin traicere, a verb meaning "to throw across."

trajectory (English): The path an object takes as it moves; The path of...

Definitions

  1. The path an object takes as it moves; The path of...

Ancestry of “trajectory”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1New Latintrāiectōria—
2Latintrāiectus—
3Latintrāiciō—
4Latintrāditiō—
5Latin-tiō—
6Latindissertātiō—
7Latindissertusarranged, disposed; explained
8Latindissereresecond-person singular future passive indicative...
9Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
10Latincalceusshoe
11Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
12Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble

Words derived from “trajectory”

  • subtrajectory
  • multitrajectory
  • pseudotrajectory
  • microtrajectory
Every word from Ancient Greek χάλιξ →