interceptor

I1N1T1E1R1C3E1P3T1O1R1
/ˈɪn.təɹˌsɛp.təɹ/

noun

Anyone or anything that intercepts something else.

Less commonScrabble 15

Meanings

nouninterceptor (plural interceptors)

plural interceptors

  1. Anyone or anything that intercepts something else.
  2. A combat aircraft designed to intercept and destroy enemy aircraft before they can attack.
  3. A guided missile designed to intercept and destroy enemy missiles.
    1 more example

    “The AN-TPY/2 radar is essentially the heart of the THAAD battery, enabling the launch of interceptor missiles and contributing to a networked air defense picture,” he said. “It also happens to be an incredibly expensive piece of kit. The loss of even a single radar of this type would be an operationally significant event. It is probable that a replacement unit would have to be redeployed from elsewhere, which will take time and effort.”

    2026 March 5, Thomas Bordeaux, Gianluca Mezzofiore, “Radar bases housing key US missile interceptor hit in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and UAE, satellite images show”, in CNN, archived from the original on 08 Mar 2026
  4. architectureA device to trap, remove, or separate hazardous or undesirable matter (such as oil or sand) from normal waste conveyed through it, permitting normal sewage or liquid wastes to discharge into the disposal terminal by gravity.
  5. computingA hook routine that intercepts normal program flow to carry out a task.
  6. A sewer that intercepts sewerage destined for an outfall (e.g. into a river) and redirects it to a treatment plant.

Origin

Translations

Catalan interceptor, interceptor
  • interceptoranything that intercepts something else
  • interceptorcombat aircraft designed for interception
French intercepteur, intercepteur
  • intercepteuranything that intercepts something else
  • intercepteurcombat aircraft designed for interception
German Abfangjäger
  • Abfangjägercombat aircraft designed for interception
Greek αναχαιτιστής, αναχαιτίστρια
  • αναχαιτιστής (anachaitistís)anything that intercepts something else
  • αναχαιτίστρια (anachaitístria)anything that intercepts something else
Italian intercettatore, intercettore
  • intercettatoreanything that intercepts something else
  • intercettoreanything that intercepts something else
  • intercettatorecombat aircraft designed for interception
Japanese 要撃機
  • 要撃機 (yōgekiki)combat aircraft designed for interception
Portuguese interceptor, interceptador
  • interceptoranything that intercepts something else
  • interceptadoranything that intercepts something else
  • interceptadorcombat aircraft designed for interception
  • interceptorcombat aircraft designed for interception
  • intercetorcombat aircraft designed for interception
Russian перехватчик
  • перехватчик (perexvatčik)combat aircraft designed for interception
Spanish interceptor, interceptador
  • interceptoranything that intercepts something else
  • interceptadoranything that intercepts something else
  • interceptorcombat aircraft designed for interception
  • interceptadorcombat aircraft designed for interception
Swedish luftförsvarsflygplan, luftförsvarsjaktflygplan
  • luftförsvarsflygplancombat aircraft designed for interception
  • luftförsvarsjaktflygplancombat aircraft designed for interception
Ukrainian перехо́плювач, вини́щувач-перехо́плювач
  • перехо́плювач (perexópljuvač)anything that intercepts something else
  • вини́щувач-перехо́плювач (vynýščuvač-perexópljuvač)combat aircraft designed for interception
Cite this entry
APA

interceptor. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/interceptor

MLA

“interceptor.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/interceptor. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “interceptor,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/interceptor.

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