ballistite

B3A1L1L1I1S1T1I1T1E1
/ˈbæl.əˌstaɪt/

noun

A smokeless propellant made from nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine without a solvent, developed in the 1880s and still used, e.g., for artillery rockets like Grad.

Similar
smokeless powder
OriginFrench balistite →
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

nounballistite (countable and uncountable, plural ballistites)

plural ballistites

  1. countableuncountableA smokeless propellant made from nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine without a solvent, developed in the 1880s and still used, e.g., for artillery rockets like Grad.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounan explosive (trade name Ballistite) that burns with relatively little smoke; contains pyrocellulose and is used as a propellant

Similar
smokeless powder
Broader
explosive
Also see
smokeless powder

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchbalistite
  2. Englishballistite

Attested since 1892, from French balistite or Italian balistite (both 1890).

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

French balistite
  • balistiteTranslations
German Ballistit
  • BallistitTranslations
Italian balistite
  • balistiteTranslations
Polish balistyt
  • balistytTranslations
Russian баллистит
  • баллистит (ballistit)Translations
Spanish balistita
  • balistitaTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

ballistite. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ballistite

MLA

“ballistite.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ballistite. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ballistite,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ballistite.

Source: ballistite on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.