A person, device, or aircraft designed to stop or seize something before it reaches its destination.
From Latin 'intercipere' (inter- meaning between, and capere meaning to seize), referring to something caught between its origin and destination.
During the Cold War, fighter jets called interceptors scrambled within minutes to intercept suspicious aircraft—pilots had to be so fast they'd launch without even knowing what they were chasing!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.