Missile in Different Languages
Discover 'Missile' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
A missile is a powerful and technologically advanced weapon, capable of delivering a devastating payload to its target with speed and precision. Its significance extends beyond military strategy, as it represents the pinnacle of human engineering and innovation. The cultural importance of missiles can be seen in everything from science fiction to geopolitical negotiations.
For those with an interest in language and culture, understanding the translation of 'missile' in different languages can offer a unique perspective on how different cultures view and understand this powerful technology. For example, in Spanish, 'missile' is 'misil', while in French it is 'missile' and in German it is 'Rakete'.
Throughout history, missiles have played a crucial role in shaping the course of human events. From the earliest days of gunpowder to the modern era of intercontinental ballistic missiles, these weapons have captured the imagination and inspired both awe and fear. By understanding the translation of 'missile' in different languages, we can gain a deeper appreciation for the cultural significance of this powerful technology.
Missile
Missile in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | missiel | ||
| In Afrikaans, "missiel" derives ultimately from Latin "missilia", but is likely influenced by Dutch "missie" (errand) and "misverstand" (misunderstanding) | |||
| Amharic | ሚሳይል | ||
| ሚሳይል, borrowed from the French word missile, is not to be confused with the name of the Eritrean president, Isaias Afwerki. | |||
| Hausa | makami mai linzami | ||
| The term "makami mai linzami" means "fire with sight" in Hausa, suggesting the missile's guided capabilities. | |||
| Igbo | ngwa ogu ana-atu atu | ||
| The Igbo word for missile, "ngwa ogu ana-atu atu," contains two words that mean "war" and "to throw." | |||
| Malagasy | balafomanga | ||
| The word "balafomanga" in Malagasy is derived from the Malay word "balawang", meaning "spear". | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | chida | ||
| Despite "chida" meaning "missile" in Chichewa, the root "ch" relates to the sound of the missile while the "da" is a suffix used to emphasize the impact. | |||
| Shona | chombo | ||
| Derived from the verb 'kuchombera', meaning 'to smash'. | |||
| Somali | gantaal | ||
| The term **gantaal** in Somali is derived from the Arabic word **qintaal** meaning "hundredweight", or from the French word **canon" meaning "cannon". | |||
| Sesotho | lerumo | ||
| The word 'lerumo' can also be used to mean 'arrow' or 'spear' in Sesotho. | |||
| Swahili | kombora | ||
| The word "kombora" in Swahili also refers to a type of traditional fishing basket used in coastal areas. | |||
| Xhosa | umjukujelwa | ||
| In Xhosa, "umjukujelwa" is also used to describe an "extremely difficult task". | |||
| Yoruba | misaili | ||
| 'Misaili' in Yoruba can also mean 'a big stick used to hit someone', 'a tree trunk', or the 'handle of a traditional Yoruba axe' | |||
| Zulu | umcibisholo | ||
| The word "umcibisholo" in Zulu is rooted in the word "cibisholo" which means "a piece that is cut off or chopped off". | |||
| Bambara | misiri (missile) ye | ||
| Ewe | tu si wotsɔna ƒoa tu | ||
| Kinyarwanda | misile | ||
| Lingala | missile oyo esalelaka | ||
| Luganda | mizayiro | ||
| Sepedi | sethunya sa go thuthupiša | ||
| Twi (Akan) | aprɛm a wɔde di dwuma | ||
Missile in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | صاروخ | ||
| The word 'صاروخ' (missile) is derived from the Arabic word 'صقر' (falcon), which is a bird known for its speed and precision. | |||
| Hebrew | טִיל | ||
| The Hebrew word "טִיל" (missile) can also refer to a "shaft" or an "arrow". | |||
| Pashto | توغندی | ||
| The word "توغندی" in Pashto shares its root with the word "توغ", meaning "arrow" or "spear", indicating its origins as a projectile weapon. | |||
| Arabic | صاروخ | ||
| The word 'صاروخ' (missile) is derived from the Arabic word 'صقر' (falcon), which is a bird known for its speed and precision. | |||
Missile in Western European Languages
| Albanian | raketa | ||
| The word "raketa" is also used in Albanian to refer to a tennis racket. | |||
| Basque | misil | ||
| The Basque word "misil" derives from Ancient Greek "mystilos", meaning "contaminated". | |||
| Catalan | míssil | ||
| The Catalan word "míssil" also means "miscarriage" in English. | |||
| Croatian | raketa | ||
| The word "raketa" in Croatian is derived from the Italian word "rocchetta", meaning "small wheel". | |||
| Danish | missil | ||
| Missil comes from the French word 'missile' meaning 'a small object thrown as a weapon', which in turn comes from the Latin word 'mittere', meaning to throw or hurl. | |||
| Dutch | raket | ||
| The word "raket" is also used in Dutch to refer to a "tennis racket" or a "badminton racket." | |||
| English | missile | ||
| The word "missile" comes from the Latin word "mittere," meaning "to send." | |||
| French | missile | ||
| The word "missile" in French can also refer to a letter or a message, as it is derived from the Latin word "missus" meaning "sent". | |||
| Frisian | missile | ||
| The Frisian word "missiel" can also refer to a religious mission. | |||
| Galician | mísil | ||
| In Galician, "mísil" not only refers to a missile, but also to a young animal, specifically a piglet or a kid. | |||
| German | rakete | ||
| The word "Rakete" in German can trace its roots back to the Italian word "rocchetta", meaning "little rock." | |||
| Icelandic | eldflaug | ||
| The word "eldflaug" originally meant "fire flight" and could refer to any burning object hurled through the air. | |||
| Irish | diúracán | ||
| The Irish word "diúracán" originally meant "water spout" but came to mean "missile" by association with the similar shape. | |||
| Italian | missile | ||
| The Italian word "missile" derives from the Latin "mittere", meaning "to throw", and can also refer to a letter or message sent to someone. | |||
| Luxembourgish | rakéit | ||
| The word "Rakéit" in Luxembourgish has German origins and can also refer to a rocket, a type of fireworks, or a shuttlecock. | |||
| Maltese | missila | ||
| The Maltese word "missila" is derived from the Italian word "missile" or the Sicilian word "missilu", both meaning "missile". | |||
| Norwegian | rakett | ||
| The Norwegian word "rakett" originally meant "a small firework rocket" or "a small stick used to stir cream". | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | míssil | ||
| Portuguese "míssil" comes from Latin "missilis" (thrown), giving it the broader meaning of "projectile". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | urchraichean | ||
| The word 'urchraichean' ('missile') in Scots Gaelic may derive from the Old French 'urgachon' meaning 'a machine for throwing weapons'. | |||
| Spanish | misil | ||
| The word "misil" in Spanish derives from the Latin word "mittere," meaning "to throw," and also refers to a written message. | |||
| Swedish | missil | ||
| In Swedish, the word "missil" means "meteorite" | |||
| Welsh | taflegryn | ||
| Taflegryn can also mean 'table leg', from 'tafl' (table) and 'gelyn' (leg). | |||
Missile in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | ракета | ||
| Bosnian | raketa | ||
| "Raketa" also means "firecracker" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | ракета | ||
| The word "ракета" in Bulgarian can also refer to a tennis racket or a shuttlecock used in badminton. | |||
| Czech | střela | ||
| The word "střela" can also mean "arrow" or "bullet" in Czech. | |||
| Estonian | rakett | ||
| The word "rakett" in Estonian also means "a racket (for playing tennis or badminton)" or "a hooligan". | |||
| Finnish | ohjus | ||
| In Finnish folklore, 'ohjus' originally referred to a magic arrow or a charmstone, hinting at its long-range capability. | |||
| Hungarian | rakéta | ||
| The word "rakéta" originally referred to a wooden scaffold or framework in Hungarian, rather than a missile, which is due to its use in launching and guiding fireworks. | |||
| Latvian | raķete | ||
| Raķete is also a Latvian word for a tennis racket. | |||
| Lithuanian | raketa | ||
| The Lithuanian word „raketa“ originally meant a small ball for playing tennis. | |||
| Macedonian | ракета | ||
| Macedonian word "ракета" (missile) has alternative meanings like "snowball", "firecracker" etc. | |||
| Polish | pocisk | ||
| The word "pocisk" originally meant "something thrown" and could refer to various projectiles, including stones, arrows, and bullets. | |||
| Romanian | rachetă | ||
| In Romanian, "rachetă" can also refer to a tennis racquet, badminton racket, or squash racket. | |||
| Russian | ракета | ||
| "Ракета" derives from the Italian word "rocchetta", meaning "little rock", and also refers to fireworks in Russian. | |||
| Serbian | пројектил | ||
| The Serbian word "пројектил" comes from the Latin word "projectum", meaning "something thrown forth". | |||
| Slovak | raketa | ||
| Slovak word "raketa" also means "tennis racket". | |||
| Slovenian | raketa | ||
| The word “raketa” (meaning “rocket”) in Slovenian is a diminutive of “rakev” meaning “coffin” | |||
| Ukrainian | ракета | ||
| The word "ракета" can also mean "rocket","firecracker", or "shuttlecock" in Ukrainian, deriving from the Latin "rocchetta", meaning "small rock". | |||
Missile in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র | ||
| The word "ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র" (missile) is derived from the Sanskrit word "ক্ষিপति" (to throw) and refers to any object launched with the purpose of causing destruction or achieving a specific goal. | |||
| Gujarati | મિસાઇલ | ||
| The word "misail" is derived from the Arabic word "misl" meaning "an example" or "a likeness". | |||
| Hindi | मिसाइल | ||
| The Hindi word "मिसाइल" ultimately derives from the Latin word "mittere", meaning "to send". | |||
| Kannada | ಕ್ಷಿಪಣಿ | ||
| The word "ಕ್ಷಿಪಣಿ" in Kannada can also mean "a quick throw" or "a dart." | |||
| Malayalam | മിസൈൽ | ||
| The word "മിസൈൽ" is derived from the Italian word "missile", meaning "a small arrow". | |||
| Marathi | क्षेपणास्त्र | ||
| The word 'क्षेपणास्त्र' (missile) is derived from the Sanskrit roots 'क्षिप्' (to throw) and 'अस्त्र' (weapon), and can also refer to arrows or other projectiles, or a gesture or expression used as a threat. | |||
| Nepali | मिसाइल | ||
| The word "मिसाइल" is ultimately derived from the Latin word "mittere", meaning "to send". | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਿਜ਼ਾਈਲ | ||
| The word "missile" in Punjabi is derived from the English word "missile" and also means "arrow" or "javelin". | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | මිසයිලය | ||
| The Sinhala word "මිසයිලය" can also refer to "a flash of lightning" in addition to meaning "missile". | |||
| Tamil | ஏவுகணை | ||
| The word "ஏவுகணை" also refers to a lightning bolt or a bolt thrown as a weapon. | |||
| Telugu | క్షిపణి | ||
| The word "క్షిపణి" originates from the Sanskrit word "क्षिप्" (kṣip), meaning "to throw". | |||
| Urdu | میزائل | ||
| The Urdu word " میزائل" is derived from the Arabic word "مقذوف", meaning "that which is thrown or projected". | |||
Missile in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 导弹 | ||
| 导弹在成语中也指引路明灯,如'北辰导弹',指北极星. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 導彈 | ||
| 導彈's literal meaning is 'lead bullet' but today it refers to projectiles shot from launchers | |||
| Japanese | ミサイル | ||
| The Japanese word ミサイル can also refer to a satellite or rocket. | |||
| Korean | 미사일 | ||
| "미사일" is a loanword from the English word "missile" but in Korean it can also mean "rice cake". | |||
| Mongolian | пуужин | ||
| The word "пуужин" derives from the verb "пуух" meaning "to shoot", originally referring to arrows and spears. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | ဒုံးကျည် | ||
Missile in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | peluru kendali | ||
| Peluru kendali literally means “control bullet”, suggesting the precision and guidance systems that distinguish missiles from other projectiles. | |||
| Javanese | pluru | ||
| "Pluru" also refers to a type of fireworks or firecrackers. | |||
| Khmer | មីស៊ីល | ||
| The Khmer word មីស៊ីល is borrowed from the English word "missile" and has the same meaning. | |||
| Lao | ລູກສອນໄຟ | ||
| Malay | peluru berpandu | ||
| Peluru berpandu comes from Sanskrit | |||
| Thai | ขีปนาวุธ | ||
| The Thai word "ขีปนาวุธ" is derived from the Sanskrit word "kṣipaṇa" meaning "to throw" and "astra" meaning "weapon". | |||
| Vietnamese | hỏa tiễn | ||
| The word "hỏa tiễn" comes from the Chinese words "火箭" (huo3 jian4), meaning "fire arrow" | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | misil | ||
Missile in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | raket | ||
| The word "raket" in Azerbaijani comes from the Persian word "rakht", meaning "arrow", and is related to the Turkish word "ok", also meaning "arrow". | |||
| Kazakh | зымыран | ||
| The word 'зымыран' (missile) comes from the Persian word 'zambarak', which means 'a small cannon' or 'mortar' | |||
| Kyrgyz | ракета | ||
| The Kyrgyz word "ракета" is derived from the Russian word "ракета", which in turn comes from the Italian word "rocchetta", meaning "small rock". | |||
| Tajik | мушак | ||
| Мушак, a Tajik term for "missile," derives from the Russian word "ракета" and also means "firefly" in Persian. | |||
| Turkmen | raketa | ||
| Uzbek | raketa | ||
| The Uzbek word "raketa" is derived from the Persian word "rakht", meaning "to throw", and ultimately from the Arabic word "raqada", meaning "to sleep". | |||
| Uyghur | باشقۇرۇلىدىغان بومبا | ||
Missile in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | pahi kaua | ||
| Pahi kaua derives from 'pahi' which originally meant 'dagger' and 'kaua' which meant either 'war' or 'weapon'. | |||
| Maori | missile | ||
| The Maori word "mise" can also mean "to launch" or "to throw". | |||
| Samoan | misile | ||
| In Samoan, the word “misile” can also refer to a person who is stubborn or unwilling to change their opinion. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | misil | ||
| In Tagalog, "misil" can also mean a "ray of light" or a "spark from a flint or fire." | |||
Missile in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | misil ukampiw uñt’ayasi | ||
| Guarani | misil rehegua | ||
Missile in International Languages
| Esperanto | misilo | ||
| The word "misilo" in Esperanto is derived from the French word "missile" and also means "firebolt" or "arrow" in some contexts. | |||
| Latin | missile | ||
| In Latin, "missile" can refer to a weapon or a type of fruit tree or plant, particularly a quince or apple tree. | |||
Missile in Others Languages
| Greek | βλήμα | ||
| The Greek word "βλήμα" can also refer to a projectile or a weapon used to throw projectiles. | |||
| Hmong | foob pob hluav taws | ||
| Foob pob hluav taws is loosely based on the English word “fire,” which has a similar prefix: “fi.” | |||
| Kurdish | rakêt | ||
| The word "rakêt" in Kurdish has an additional meaning of "firecracker" or "fireworks." | |||
| Turkish | füze | ||
| "Füze" comes from Greek "phōs", meaning "light", as the first Turkish missiles used to illuminate enemy targets. | |||
| Xhosa | umjukujelwa | ||
| In Xhosa, "umjukujelwa" is also used to describe an "extremely difficult task". | |||
| Yiddish | מיסאַל | ||
| In Yiddish, "מיסאַל" can also refer to a prayer book or a musical score used in religious services. | |||
| Zulu | umcibisholo | ||
| The word "umcibisholo" in Zulu is rooted in the word "cibisholo" which means "a piece that is cut off or chopped off". | |||
| Assamese | মিছাইল | ||
| Aymara | misil ukampiw uñt’ayasi | ||
| Bhojpuri | मिसाइल के बा | ||
| Dhivehi | މިސައިލް އެވެ | ||
| Dogri | मिसाइल | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | misil | ||
| Guarani | misil rehegua | ||
| Ilocano | missile | ||
| Krio | mishɔl we dɛn kin yuz | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | مووشەک | ||
| Maithili | मिसाइल | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯃꯤꯁꯥꯏꯜ ꯇꯧꯕꯥ꯫ | ||
| Mizo | missile hmanga siam a ni | ||
| Oromo | misaa’ela | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | କ୍ଷେପଣାସ୍ତ୍ର | ||
| Quechua | misil nisqawan | ||
| Sanskrit | क्षेपणास्त्रम् | ||
| Tatar | ракета | ||
| Tigrinya | ሚሳይል ምዃኑ’ዩ። | ||
| Tsonga | xibalesa xa xihahampfhuka | ||