word | trajectory |
---|---|
definition | The curved path that an object makes in space, or that a thrown object follows as it rises and falls to earth. |
eg_sentence | Considering the likely range, trajectory, and accuracy of a bullet fired from a cheap handgun at 100 yards, the murder seemed incredible. |
explanation | Formed with part of the prefix trans-, “across,” trajectory means a “hurling across.” By calculating the effect of gravity and other forces, the trajectory of an object launched into space at a known speed can be computed precisely. Missiles stand a chance of hitting their target only if their trajectory has been plotted accurately. The word is used most often in physics and engineering, but not always; we can also say, for example, that the trajectory of a whole life may be set in a person's youth, or that a new book traces the long trajectory of the French empire |
IPA | trəˈʤɛktəri |
Tags: mwvb::unit:2, mwvb::unit:2:word, mwvb::word, mwvb::word-cloze, mwvb::word-reverse, obsidian_to_anki
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