"rocket science" meaning in English

See rocket science in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: En-au-rocket science.ogg
Head templates: {{en-noun|-}} rocket science (uncountable)
  1. (literal) The science or study of rockets and their design. Tags: uncountable Derived forms: rocket surgery Related terms: rocket scientist
    Sense id: en-rocket_science-en-noun-Krgajmsl Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Afrikaans translations, Terms with Czech translations, Terms with Danish translations, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with German translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Polish translations, Terms with Portuguese translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 67 33 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 78 22 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 75 25 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 85 15 Disambiguation of Terms with Afrikaans translations: 77 23 Disambiguation of Terms with Czech translations: 65 35 Disambiguation of Terms with Danish translations: 87 13 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 78 22 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 75 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 74 26 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 63 37 Disambiguation of Terms with Polish translations: 61 39 Disambiguation of Terms with Portuguese translations: 78 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 81 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 84 16 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 79 21
  2. (idiomatic, hyperbolic, chiefly in the negative) Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing. Tags: excessive, idiomatic, uncountable Synonyms: brain surgery Synonyms (something complex and confusing): brain surgery Translations (anything overly complex (idiomatic)): vuurpylwetenskap (Afrikaans), 高深的事 (gāoshēn de shì) (Chinese Mandarin), žádná věda [feminine] (Czech), raketvidenskab [common-gender] (Danish), hogere wiskunde [feminine] (Dutch), rakettitiede (Finnish), Raketenwissenschaft [feminine] (German), Hexenwerk [neuter] (German), atomfizika (Hungarian), czarna magia [feminine] (Polish), bicho de sete cabeças (Portuguese), бино́м Ньюто́на (binóm Nʹjutóna) (english: Newton binomial) [masculine] (Russian), física cuántica (Spanish), raketforskning (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-rocket_science-en-noun-Kew4cPn7 Categories (other): English hyperboles, English negative polarity items, English negative polarity items Disambiguation of English negative polarity items: 40 60 Disambiguation of 'something complex and confusing': 1 99 Disambiguation of 'anything overly complex (idiomatic)': 0 100
{
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "rocket science (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "67 33",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "85 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "77 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Afrikaans translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "65 35",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Czech translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "87 13",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Danish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "75 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "74 26",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "63 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "61 39",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Polish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "78 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Portuguese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "81 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "84 16",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "79 21",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "derived": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "word": "rocket surgery"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The science or study of rockets and their design."
      ],
      "id": "en-rocket_science-en-noun-Krgajmsl",
      "links": [
        [
          "science",
          "science"
        ],
        [
          "study",
          "study"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "literal",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(literal) The science or study of rockets and their design."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "100 0",
          "word": "rocket scientist"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English hyperboles",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English negative polarity items",
          "parents": [
            "Negative polarity items",
            "Terms by semantic function"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "40 60",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English negative polarity items",
          "parents": [
            "Negative polarity items",
            "Terms by semantic function"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "It's not rocket science. Just screw in the bulb and flip the switch.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "It's not rocket science. You just need to screw this to that!",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2007 January 19, Thomas L. Friedman, “A Warning From the Garden”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:",
          "text": "This isn’t rocket science. Government standards matter. They drive innovation and efficiency.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 May 29, Philip Haigh, “The digital revolution and the switch to in-cab signalling”, in RAIL, number 1010, page 29:",
          "text": "Akers claims that ETCS signalling renewals are roughly 50% of the cost of conventional renewals. If nothing else, this is an important reason for NR to be keen to switch. \"There's no rocket science or magic in that, there's just physically less to deliver,\" he says. \"There are no trackside signals. Yes, you have balises and marker boards, and you still have train detection, but by and large there is simply less to deliver.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing."
      ],
      "id": "en-rocket_science-en-noun-Kew4cPn7",
      "links": [
        [
          "complex",
          "complex"
        ],
        [
          "detail",
          "detail"
        ],
        [
          "confusing",
          "confusing"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, hyperbolic, chiefly in the negative) Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "in the negative"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "brain surgery"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 99",
          "sense": "something complex and confusing",
          "word": "brain surgery"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "excessive",
        "idiomatic",
        "uncountable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "af",
          "lang": "Afrikaans",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "word": "vuurpylwetenskap"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "gāoshēn de shì",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "word": "高深的事"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "žádná věda"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "tags": [
            "common-gender"
          ],
          "word": "raketvidenskab"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "hogere wiskunde"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "word": "rakettitiede"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Raketenwissenschaft"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "tags": [
            "neuter"
          ],
          "word": "Hexenwerk"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "word": "atomfizika"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "czarna magia"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "word": "bicho de sete cabeças"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "ru",
          "english": "Newton binomial",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "binóm Nʹjutóna",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "бино́м Ньюто́на"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "word": "física cuántica"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "0 100",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
          "word": "raketforskning"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-rocket science.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f9/En-au-rocket_science.ogg/En-au-rocket_science.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/En-au-rocket_science.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "rocket science"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English negative polarity items",
    "English nouns",
    "English uncountable nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Afrikaans translations",
    "Terms with Czech translations",
    "Terms with Danish translations",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with German translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Polish translations",
    "Terms with Portuguese translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "rocket surgery"
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "rocket science (uncountable)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "rocket scientist"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "The science or study of rockets and their design."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "science",
          "science"
        ],
        [
          "study",
          "study"
        ]
      ],
      "qualifier": "literal",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(literal) The science or study of rockets and their design."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "uncountable"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English hyperboles",
        "English idioms",
        "English negative polarity items",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "It's not rocket science. Just screw in the bulb and flip the switch.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "It's not rocket science. You just need to screw this to that!",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2007 January 19, Thomas L. Friedman, “A Warning From the Garden”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:",
          "text": "This isn’t rocket science. Government standards matter. They drive innovation and efficiency.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2024 May 29, Philip Haigh, “The digital revolution and the switch to in-cab signalling”, in RAIL, number 1010, page 29:",
          "text": "Akers claims that ETCS signalling renewals are roughly 50% of the cost of conventional renewals. If nothing else, this is an important reason for NR to be keen to switch. \"There's no rocket science or magic in that, there's just physically less to deliver,\" he says. \"There are no trackside signals. Yes, you have balises and marker boards, and you still have train detection, but by and large there is simply less to deliver.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "complex",
          "complex"
        ],
        [
          "detail",
          "detail"
        ],
        [
          "confusing",
          "confusing"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, hyperbolic, chiefly in the negative) Anything overly complex, detailed or confusing."
      ],
      "raw_tags": [
        "in the negative"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "brain surgery"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "excessive",
        "idiomatic",
        "uncountable"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-rocket science.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/f/f9/En-au-rocket_science.ogg/En-au-rocket_science.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/En-au-rocket_science.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "sense": "something complex and confusing",
      "word": "brain surgery"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "af",
      "lang": "Afrikaans",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "word": "vuurpylwetenskap"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "gāoshēn de shì",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "word": "高深的事"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "žádná věda"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "tags": [
        "common-gender"
      ],
      "word": "raketvidenskab"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "hogere wiskunde"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "word": "rakettitiede"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Raketenwissenschaft"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "tags": [
        "neuter"
      ],
      "word": "Hexenwerk"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "word": "atomfizika"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "czarna magia"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "word": "bicho de sete cabeças"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "Newton binomial",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "binóm Nʹjutóna",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "бино́м Ньюто́на"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "word": "física cuántica"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "anything overly complex (idiomatic)",
      "word": "raketforskning"
    }
  ],
  "word": "rocket science"
}

Download raw JSONL data for rocket science meaning in English (4.9kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-04-05 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-04-03 using wiktextract (8c1bb29 and fb63907). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.