surface-to-air missile

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

surface-to-air missile
    n 1: a guided missile fired from land or shipboard against an
         airborne target [syn: {surface-to-air missile}, {SAM}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Missile \Mis"sile\, n. [L. missile.]
   1. A weapon thrown or projected or intended to be projected,
      as a lance, an arrow, or a bullet.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. A rocket-propelled device designed to fly through the air
      and deliver a warhead of explosive materials to a target.
      [PJC]

   Note: Numerous types of rocket-propelled missile[2] are now
         used in modern warfare. Some types with names
         indicating their range or function are: {antiaircraft
         missile}; {ballistic missile}; {cruise missile};
         {antiballistic missile missile}; {air-to-air missile};
         {air-to-ground missile}; {guided missile};
         {intercontinental ballistic missile} (IBM);
         {intermediate range ballistic missile} (IRBM);
         {surface-to-air missile}.