Meanings
plural ogives
- ballisticsThe pointed, curved nose of a bullet, missile, or rocket.
Nose: The forward end of a warhead. May have a fuze-well, be solid, or be defined by the shape of the ogive. Ogive: Is aft of the nose, and forward of the bourrelet. May house a fuze adapter with a shape consistent with the contour of the ogive.
2019, Thomas Gersbeck, Practical Military Ordnance Identification, 2nd edition, CRC Press, →ISBN, page 1111 more example
However, Ordnance tests revealed that the existing metal ogive (nose cone) tended to telescope on impact, cushioning the impact shock, and resulting in the failure of the impact fuze. In addition, the ogive tended to shear off from the rest of the body at impact angles of 20 degrees or more, […]
2016, Steven J. Zaloga, Bazooka vs Panzer: Battle of the Bulge 1944, Bloomsbury Publishing, →ISBN, page 32 - geographyA three-dimensional wave-bulge, characteristic of glaciers that have experienced extreme underlying topographic change.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe curve of a cumulative distribution function.
More synonyms by meaning
nounfront consisting of the conical head of a missile or rocket that protects the payload from heat during its passage through the atmosphere
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Frenchogive
- Middle Englishogif
- Englishogive
From late Middle English ogif, egeve, egeove, from Old French ogive, œgive, augive. Doublet of ogee.
More words from Middle English, Old French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Catalan arc apuntat, ogiva
- arc apuntatGothic pointed arch
- ogivaGothic pointed arch
Czech gotický oblouk, lomený oblouk
- gotický obloukGothic pointed arch
- lomený obloukGothic pointed arch
Danish spidsbue
- spidsbueGothic pointed arch
Finnish summakäyrä, suippokaari
- summakäyräcurve of a cumulative function
- suippokaariGothic pointed arch
- suippokärkinose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
French ogive, ogive
- ogivecurve of a cumulative function
- ogiveGothic pointed arch
- ogivenose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
German Ogive, Spitzbogen
- Ogivecurve of a cumulative function
- SpitzbogenGothic pointed arch
- OgiveGothic pointed arch
- Ogivenose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
Italian arco a sesto acuto, ogiva
- arco a sesto acutoGothic pointed arch
- ogivaGothic pointed arch
- arco goticoGothic pointed arch
- ogivanose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
Polish ogiw, ostrołuk
- ogiwcurve of a cumulative function
- ostrołukGothic pointed arch
- ostrołuknose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
- głowicanose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
- falista wypukłość lodowcówwave-bulges of glaciers
Portuguese ogiva, ogiva
- ogivaGothic pointed arch
- ogivanose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
Russian оги́ва, стре́льчатый свод
- оги́ва (ogíva)curve of a cumulative function
- стре́льчатый свод (strélʹčatyj)Gothic pointed arch
- ожива́ло (oživálo)nose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
Spanish ojiva
- ojivanose of a bullet, missle, or rocket
Swedish spetsbåge
- spetsbågeGothic pointed arch
Tagalog hatimbantok
- hatimbantokcurve of a cumulative function
Ukrainian стрілча́ста арка
- стрілча́ста арка (strilčásta arka)Gothic pointed arch
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
ogive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ogive
“ogive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ogive. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ogive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ogive.
Source: ogive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.