rocket

{{11}}rocket (n.¹) "garden plant of the cabbage family," 1520s, from M.Fr. roquette, from It. rochetta, dim. of ruca "a kind of cabbage," from L. eruca "colewort," perhaps lit. "hairy caterpillar" (the plant has downy stems) and related to ericus "hedgehog," also "a beam set with spikes."

{{12}}rocket (n.²) "projectile," 1610s, from It. rocchetto "a rocket," lit. "a bobbin," dim. of rocca "a distaff," so called because of cylindrical shape. The Italian word probably is from a Germanic source (Cf. O.H.G. rocko "distaff," O.N. rokkr), from P.Gmc. *rukka-, from PIE root *rug- "to spin."

Originally "fireworks rocket," meaning "device propelled by a rocket engine" first recorded 1919; rocket-ship in the modern sense first attested 1927 ("Popular Science"); earlier as a type of naval warship firing projectiles. Rocket science in the figurative sense of “difficult, complex process or topic” is attested by 1985. Rocket scientist is from 1952.

{{12}}rocket (v.) "to spring like a rocket," 1860, from ROCKET (Cf. rocket) (n.²). Earlier "to attack with rockets" (1799). Related: Rocketed; rocketing.