torpedo

C2+ Topic:War & Conflict

US /tɔrˈpiːdoʊ/ UK /tɔːˈpiːdəʊ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a self-propelled underwater missile; to attack or wreck something

A single torpedo sent the freighter to the bottom within minutes.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a self-propelled underwater... missile projectile

Word family

Derived forms torpedoist

Related forms torpid torpor

Etymology

From Latin torpēdō ('numbness, the electric ray fish that numbs'), from torpēre ('to be stiff or numb'); the modern weapon was named for its stealthy, paralyzing strike.

torpēdō Latin torpēre Latin *sterp- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

War & Conflict

External links

# torpedo

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /tɔrˈpiːdoʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /tɔːˈpiːdəʊ/

## Meanings
1. a self-propelled underwater missile; to attack or wreck something

## Examples
- A single torpedo sent the freighter to the bottom within minutes.

## Synonyms
- missile
- projectile

## Derived Forms
- torpedoist

## Related Forms
- torpid
- torpor

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: torpēdō
- Root: torpēre
- Root: *sterp-

## Etymology
From Latin torpēdō ('numbness, the electric ray fish that numbs'), from torpēre ('to be stiff or numb'); the modern weapon was named for its stealthy, paralyzing strike.

## AI Etymology
Torpedo is from Latin torpēdō ('numbness, the electric ray fish that numbs'), from torpēre ('to be stiff or numb'); the modern weapon was named for its stealthy, paralyzing strike. Important recorded forms include torpēdō (Latin), torpēre (Latin), and *sterp- (Proto-Indo-European). The modern sense continues the older lexical line without requiring a separate origin. In current use it covers a self-propelled underwater missile; to attack or wreck something. The wider family includes derived forms such as torpedoist and related words such as torpid and torpor.

## Topics
- War & Conflict

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