rocket en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- /ˈɹɑk.ɪt/ (General-American)
- /ˈɹɒk.ɪt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈɹɑ.kət/ weak vowel merger
- (US) audio
Etymology
From Italian rocchetta, from Old Italian rocchetto (“rocket”, literally “a bobbin”), diminutive of rocca (“a distaff”), from Lombardic rocko (“spinning wheel”), from Proto-West Germanic *rokkō, from Proto-Germanic *rukkô (“a distaff, a staff with flax fibres tied loosely to it, used in spinning thread”). Cognate with Old High German rocco, rocko, roccho, rocho ("a distaff"; > German Rocken (“a distaff”)), Swedish rock (“a distaff”), Icelandic rokkur (“a distaff”), Middle English rocke (“a distaff”). More at rock⁴. For the meaning development, compare fuselage, ultimately from Latin fūsus (“spindle, spinning wheel”).
Meanings
- A projectile. ▸ A cylindrical projectile that can be fired to a great height through combustion, (specifically) a type of firework of this form, typically exploding with light and colour; a skyrocket.
- A projectile. ▸ A blunt lance head used in jousting.
-
A projectile. ▸ A long vehicle or craft propelled by a rocket engine; a missile or rocket-propelled spacecraft.
As Elon Musk returns his focus to his businesses, one of his most important companies just had another setback: A SpaceX Starship rocket exploded in an immense fireball Wednesday during a routine ground test.
2025 June 19, Hadas Gold, Jackie Wattles, “Elon Musk’s SpaceX rockets keep blowing up at the worst possible time”, in CNN Business, archived from the original on 02 Jul 2025:Asked by Gallup in 1949 whether “men in rockets will be able to reach the moon” within the next 50 years, just 15% said yes. About five years later, confidence in the men in rockets’ prospects had more than doubled to 38%. […] In a Gallup poll conducted near the start of 1955, just 9% said they’d like to go along on the first rocket ship to the moon if asked, and two years later, just 5% said they’d volunteer to be the first one up in a spacecraft.
2026 April 9, Ariel Edwards-Levy, “Would you go to the moon? Board an alien spacecraft? What nearly 80 years of polls say about US attitudes on space”, in CNN, archived from the original on 11 Apr 2026:
- A projectile. ▸ An engine operating similarly to the pyrotechnic, generating thrust by the expulsion of hot gases; a rocket engine.
-
(figuratively) Figurative uses. ▸ Something that travels high in the air or with great speed; especially (sport), a hard shot.
Fernandinho launched a rocket that flew just over. Gundogan's shot hit off Sviatchenko and Gordon and went out. City pressed and pressed.
2016 September 28, Tom English, “Celtic 3–3 Manchester City”, in BBC Sport, BBC Sport, archived from the original on 10 Oct 2016:
-
(UK, figuratively, slang) Figurative uses. ▸ A severe reprimand; a telling-off.
While Solborg and Lemaigre were dreaming of revolts, Donovan had learned of Solborg’s insubordination and meddling. He sent him a “rocket” ordering him out of North Africa and back to Lisbon at once.
1980, David Schoenbrun, Soldiers of the Night: The Story of the French Resistance, Dutton, →ISBN, page 203:The Burmese nurse who'd gone with her was crying, for which she'd no doubt get a rocket from matron.
1973, Elizabeth Mavor, A Green Equinox, Virago, published 2023, page 93:
- (figuratively, slang) Figurative uses. ▸ An ace (the playing card).
-
(Scotland, figuratively, slang) Figurative uses. ▸ A stupid or crazy person.
Why were the Luddites named efter Ned Ludd? A wee rocket. A wee fucken fairy bampot. A pure hooligan, smashing stuff up. A ned. Ned Ludd.
2014, Alistair Beaton, Rob Drummond, Morna Pearson, Contemporary Scottish Plays:
- (East, England, South, figuratively, slang) Figurative uses. ▸ A very physically attractive woman.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| rockets | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
bottle rocket · rocket surgery · life rocket · Rocketshipper · rocket launcher · moon rocket · rocketship · liquid rocket · rockoon · nuclear-thermoelectric rocket · antirocket · rocket garden · rocket surgeon · rocket propelled grenade · rocketsonde · nuclear-thermal rocket · rocket pod · hash rocket · nuclear-pulse rocket · rocket science · thermal rocket · rocket up · rocket-sled · skyrocket · rocket plane · ghost rocket · rockaire · chemical rocket · wall rocket · rice rocket · polish one's rocket · rocketman · stomp rocket · fission rocket · rocket car · rocketeer · rocket ship · solid rocket · rocketplane · rocketlike · rocket propellant 1 · rocket artillery · searocket · rocket booster · antimatter rocket · off one's rocket · space rocket · yellow rocket · rockair · pion rocket · red rocket · rocketborne · water rocket · rocket sonde · sea rocket · rocket-pack · rocket-ship · rocket-plane · rocket belt · rocketless · rocket festival · rocketer · rocket-sonde · sky-rocket · crotch rocket · snot rocket · rocket pack · rocket jump · retrorocket · rocketsled · rocket-propelled grenade · nuclear-electric rocket · rocket sled · turborocket · step rocket · multiple rocket launcher · booster rocket · rocket jellyfish · sky rocket · fusion rocket · rocket docket · rocket motor · corn rocket · rocket equation · rocket aircraft · rocketry · nuclear rocket · rocketpunk · hybrid rocket · pocket rocket · Congreve rocket · sounding rocket · rocket scientist · wall-rocket · rocket stage
Relateds
Translations (243)
nrf fîsée (military: non-guided missile) · sv raket (military: non-guided missile) · sh ракѐта (rocket engine) · fi raketti (military: non-guided missile) · es motor de cohete (rocket engine) · cs raketa (military: non-guided missile) · cs raketa (rocket engine) · lt raketa (rocket engine) · ka რაკეტა (rocket engine) · mi rākete (military: non-guided missile) · tl sikpad (military: non-guided missile) · ja ロケット (rocket engine) · de Rakete (military: non-guided missile) · cmn 火箭發動機 /火箭发动机 (rocket engine) · ru раке́та (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · nl vuurpijl (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · ja ロケット (military: non-guided missile) · bg раке́та (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · sl raketa (military: non-guided missile) · kk зымыран (rocket engine) · ur راکِٹ (rocket engine) · ru раке́та (military: non-guided missile) · bo འཕུར་མདའ (military: non-guided missile) · hu rakéta (rocket engine) · sw roketi (rocket engine) · la rucheta (rocket engine) · ms roket (vehicle) · lb Rakéit (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · se rakeahtta (military: non-guided missile) · se rakeahtta (vehicle) · pl rakieta (rocket engine) · fr fusée (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · tg ракета (rocket engine) · bg раке́та (military: non-guided missile) · fr fusée (vehicle) · se rakeahtta (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · bg раке́та (rocket engine) · tl sikpad (vehicle) · mi pūkaha torohaki (rocket engine) · hi राकेट (rocket engine) · mr रॉकेट (military: non-guided missile) · cs raketa (vehicle) · fi raketti (figuratively: something that shoots high in the air) · be раке́та (rocket engine) · it motore a razzo (rocket engine) · la radius ignifer (rocket engine) · ca coet (rocket engine) · si රොකට් (rocket engine) · lo ຈະລວດ (rocket engine) · he טִיל (military: non-guided missile) · ja ロケット弾 (military: non-guided missile) · fi raketti (rocket engine) · mt rokit (military: non-guided missile) · de Rakete (rocket engine) · mr रॉकेट (rocket engine) · hu rakéta (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · yue 火箭 (military: non-guided missile) · an codet (rocket engine) · ka რაკეტა (vehicle) · uk раке́та (military: non-guided missile) · af vuurpyl (vehicle) · uk раке́та (rocket engine) · oc husada (vehicle) · fa-ira راکِت (vehicle) · mi tākirirangi (military: non-guided missile) · ga roicéad (rocket engine) · bo མེ་ཤུགས་འཕུར་མདའ (military: non-guided missile) · la rocheta (rocket engine) · id roket (rocket engine) · mr रॉकेट (vehicle) · lb Rakéit (rocket engine) · lb Rakéit (vehicle) · vi tên lửa (military: non-guided missile) · mt rokit (vehicle) · be раке́та (vehicle) · am ሮኬት (rocket engine) · he רָקֶטָה (rocket engine) · la rucheta (military: non-guided missile) · la missile igneum (rocket engine) · ro rachetă (rocket engine) · yi ראַקעט (military: non-guided missile) · tr roket (military: non-guided missile) · mk раке́та (vehicle) · uk раке́та (vehicle) · sa क्षेपणी (rocket engine) · kk зымыран (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · lo ຈະຣວດ (military: non-guided missile) · it razzo (military: non-guided missile) · sa क्षेपणी (vehicle) · ms roket (rocket engine) · hy հրթիռ (rocket engine) · hu űrhajó (vehicle) · ast cohete (rocket engine) · mi tākirirangi (vehicle) · vi rốc két (vehicle) · fr pétard (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · lus vànkhạwhthėi (rocket engine) · fi raketti (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · mt rokit (rocket engine) · fi raketti (vehicle) · eo raketo (military: non-guided missile) · nl raket (rocket engine) · es cohete (military: non-guided missile) · bo ཤོག་སྦག (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · lo ຈະລວດ (military: non-guided missile) · ar صَارُوخ (vehicle) · uk раке́та (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · mn ᠫᠤᠤᠵᠢᠩ (rocket engine) · ky ракета (rocket engine) · cmn 火箭 (vehicle) · hu űreszköz (vehicle) · ko 로켓트 (military: non-guided missile) · sk raketa (rocket engine) · ko 미사일 (military: non-guided missile) · cmn 火箭 (military: non-guided missile) · ca coet (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · bo འཕུར་མདའ (vehicle) · oc fusada (vehicle) · hi प्रक्षेपण यान (vehicle) · fr fusée (rocket engine) · th จรวด (military: non-guided missile) · ro rachetă (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · gl foguete (rocket engine) · se rakeahtta (rocket engine) · az raket (rocket engine) · pt foguete (vehicle) · ca coet (vehicle) · cmn 衝天砲 /冲天炮 (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · ar صَارُوخ (rocket engine) · ar قَذِيفَة (military: non-guided missile) · tr havai fişek (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · sw roketi (military: non-guided missile) · uk раке́тний двигу́н (rocket engine) · es cohete (vehicle) · km រ៉ុកកែត (military: non-guided missile) · he מָנוֹעַ (rocket engine) · sh rakèta (rocket engine) · lo ຈະຣວດ (rocket engine) · ka რაკეტა (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · ms cerawat (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · nb rakett (rocket engine) · nrf fîsée (rocket engine) · it razzo (vehicle) · bn মাহতাব (rocket engine) · sa क्षेपणी (military: non-guided missile) · nl raket (vehicle) · arz ساروخ (military: non-guided missile) · be раке́та (military: non-guided missile) · da raket (rocket engine) · tk raketa (rocket engine) · ru раке́та (vehicle) · hi प्रक्षेपास्त्र (military: non-guided missile) · pt foguete (military: non-guided missile) · he רָקֶטָה (military: non-guided missile) · sv raket (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · an codete (rocket engine) · sl raketa (vehicle) · de Rakete (vehicle) · es cohete (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · pl rakieta (vehicle) · ja ロケット (vehicle) · tl kuwitis (rocket engine) · el πύραυλος (rocket engine) · my ဒုံးပျံ (rocket engine) · hu röppentyű (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · sv raket (vehicle) · km រ៉ុកកែត (rocket engine) · hu rakéta (vehicle) · nb rakett (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · ro rachetă (military: non-guided missile) · lo ຈະຫລວດ (military: non-guided missile) · is eldflaug (rocket engine) · he טִיל (vehicle) · mk раке́та (rocket engine) · et rakett (rocket engine) · my ဒုံး (military: non-guided missile) · it razzo (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · ar صَارُوخ (military: non-guided missile) · th จรวด (rocket engine) · fr roquette (military: non-guided missile) · mk раке́та (military: non-guided missile) · nrf fîsée (vehicle) · lv raķete (rocket engine) · ja 噴進弾 (military: non-guided missile) · ajp صاروخ (rocket engine) · km កាំជ្រួច (rocket engine) · ka რაკეტა (military: non-guided missile) · pt foguete (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · tr roket (rocket engine) · yi ראַקעט (vehicle) · sl raketa (rocket engine) · ru раке́та (rocket engine) · mn пуужин (rocket engine) · mk раке́тка (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · fa-ira راکِت (rocket engine) · hy հրթիռ (military: non-guided missile) · uz raketa (rocket engine) · nl raket (military: non-guided missile) · hu rakéta (military: non-guided missile) · yi ראַקעט (rocket engine) · ps راکټ (military: non-guided missile) · hu rakétahajtómű (rocket engine) · fi höyrypää (stupid or crazy person) · ko 로켓 (military: non-guided missile) · fi rakettimoottori (rocket engine) · sv raketmotor (rocket engine) · pl rakieta (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · ja 打ち上げ花火 (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · ko 로켓트 (vehicle) · vo raket (rocket engine) · ug راكېتا (rocket engine) · th จรวด (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · bo མེ་ཤུགས་འཕུར་མདའི་འཕྲུལ་འཁོར (rocket engine) · nb rakett (military: non-guided missile) · hu űrjármű (vehicle) · tr roket (vehicle) · pl rakieta (military: non-guided missile) · fa-ira راکِت (military: non-guided missile) · bn রকেট (rocket engine) · ko 로켓 (rocket engine) · sv raket (rocket engine) · bo མེ་ཤུགས་འཕུར་མདའ (vehicle) · lo ບັ້ງໄຟ (rocket engine) · sq raketë (rocket engine) · tr füze (military: non-guided missile) · ro rachetă (vehicle) · bg раке́та (vehicle) · bo འཕུར་མདའི་མཚོན་ཆ (military: non-guided missile) · nb rakett (vehicle) · kmr roket (rocket engine) · arz صاروخ (rocket engine) · pt foguete (rocket engine) · tr füze (rocket engine) · ajp صاروخ (rocket engine) · cy roced (military: non-guided missile) · lv raķete (military: non-guided missile) · vi động cơ tên lửa (rocket engine) · ug راكېتا (military: non-guided missile) · be раке́та (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · lo ຈະຫລວດ (rocket engine) · mi rākete (vehicle) · de Rakete (rocket-propelled firework — see also skyrocket) · lb Rakéit (military: non-guided missile)