" rocket "

[Noun]  | "rock*et" | \ ˈrä-kət \

1: any of several plants of the mustard family: such as

2: arugula

3: dame's rocket

Origin: 1530 ;

 Borrowed from Middle French roquete, borrowed from Italian (15th-century) ruchetta, rochetta, from ruca "arugula" (going back to Latin ērūca "arugula, caterpillar," of uncertain origin) + -etta, diminutive suffix, going back to Latin -itta;

  * Note : The sense "caterpillar" of Latin ērūca has been taken as the original one, with the plant so called from the resemblance of its hairy stems to a caterpillar. If this is the case, ērūca could be a derivative of *ēr "hedgehog" (see: {urchin|urchin}); the suffix may be the same as in festūca "stalk, straw," lactūca "lettuce," and verrūca "wart.";

[Noun]  | "rock*et" | \ ˈrä-kət \

1: a firework consisting of a case partly filled with a combustible composition fastened to a guiding stick and propelled through the air by the rearward discharge of the gases liberated by combustion

2: a similar device used as an incendiary weapon or as a propelling unit (as for a lifesaving line)

3: a jet engine that operates on the same principle as the firework rocket, consists essentially of a combustion chamber and an exhaust nozzle, carries either liquid or solid propellants which provide the fuel and oxygen needed for combustion and thus make the engine independent of the oxygen of the air, and is used especially for the propulsion of a missile (such as a bomb or shell) or a vehicle (such as an airplane)

Origin: 1611 ;

 Italian rocchetta, literally, small distaff, from diminutive of rocca distaff, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German rocko distaff;

[Noun]  | "aru*gu*la" | \ ə-ˈrü-gə-lə \

1: a yellowish-flowered Mediterranean herb (Eruce sativa synonym E. vesicaria sativa) of the mustard family cultivated for its foliage which is used especially in salads —called also garden rocket, rocket, roquette, rugola

Origin: 1960 ;

 Borrowed from Italian, probably from a southern dialectal form of Tuscan ruca, rucola, as Neapolitan arucola, arucolo, with English spelling -gu- reflecting lenis articulation of consonants and reduction of vowels {mat|rocket:1|};

  * Note : For similar reflection in English spelling of southern Italian articulation compare {agita|agita}, {goombah|goombah}. Forms with the initial ēr- of the Latin etymon ērūca "arugula, Eruca vesicaria" opened to ar- are widespread in Italian dialects—see: Lessico etimologico italiano, letter E, columns 733-34.;

[Noun]  | "dame's rocket" 

1: a Eurasian perennial plant (Hesperis matronalis) of the mustard family cultivated for its spikes of showy fragrant white or purplish flowers —called also dame's violet, rocket

Origin: circa 1900 ;

[Noun]  | "rocket plane" 

1: an airplane propelled by rockets

Origin: 1928 ;

[Noun]  | "rocket ship" 

1: a rocket-propelled spaceship

Origin: 1927 ;

[Noun]  | "rocket sled" 

1: a rocket-propelled vehicle that runs usually on a single rail and that is used especially in aeronautical experimentation

Origin: 1954 ;

[Noun]  | "rocket science" 

1: the science of designing or building rockets; also : something that is very difficult to learn or understand

[Noun]  | "rocket scientist" 

1: a person who designs or builds rockets; also : an unusually smart person

[Verb]  | "rocket" 

1: to convey or propel by means of or as if by a rocket

2: to rise up swiftly, spectacularly, and with force

3: to travel rapidly in or as if in a rocket

Origin: 1837 ;

[Verb]  | "rocket" 

[Noun]  | "rocket plane" 

[Noun]  | "rocket planes"