nose cone

noun

: a protective cone constituting the forward end of an aerospace vehicle

Examples of nose cone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The collision appears to have sheared off the plane’s nose cone. Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 23 Mar. 2026 But lidar systems are still too bulky and expensive to fit into a plane’s nose cone. Burkhard Bilger, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026 The shell’s nose cone underwent a similar transformation in the mud. Michael Jerome Plunkett september 5, Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025 Nearby, a former Korean Air vessel’s nose cone had been removed clean, as if seared off with a hot knife. Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for nose cone

Word History

First Known Use

1949, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nose cone was in 1949

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nose cone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nose%20cone. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

nose cone

noun
: a protective cone forming the forward end of a rocket or missile
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!