trajectory
noun
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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.
Examples of trajectory in a Sentence
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
But Merced has also had a stratospheric trajectory to get here.
—Fernanda Pérez Sánchez, Vogue, 16 Apr. 2025
In a post-launch press conference on Monday, Bowe drew parallels between the suborbital trajectory of her Blue Origin mission to that of the first American in space, Alan Shepard, for whom Blue Origin's New Shepard vehicle is named.
—Josh Dinner, Space.com, 15 Apr. 2025
The model can take all the relevant inputs that affect a bowling ball's motion and accurately calculate the trajectory to determine the ideal path for a strike.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for trajectory
Cite this Entry
“Trajectory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trajectory. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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trajectory
noun
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