Ballistic describes the curved path that any thrown or launched object follows through the air. When you toss a basketball toward the hoop, it traces a ballistic arc, rising up and then falling back down. A baseball thrown from the outfield, a soccer ball kicked across the field, and even a paper airplane all follow ballistic paths.

The word comes from the science of ballistics, which studies how projectiles move through the air. Engineers use ballistic calculations to predict where a launched object will land. NASA scientists plot ballistic trajectories for spacecraft, while athletes intuitively understand ballistic motion when they aim their throws.

You might hear someone say a person “went ballistic,” meaning they suddenly became extremely angry, like they exploded. If your friend goes ballistic after losing a game, they're reacting with sudden, explosive anger.

A ballistic missile is a weapon that launches into the air and then falls toward its target following a ballistic path, unlike a cruise missile, which flies under power the whole way. Understanding ballistic motion helps explain everything from how birds catch insects in mid-flight to why quarterbacks lead their receivers when throwing a football.