A launcher is a thing that sends something off into the air or into space. The clearest cases are military and space: a rocket launcher is the tube a soldier fires a rocket from, a missile launcher is the equipment that sends a missile up, and in space news the whole rocket that carries a satellite is often called the launcher. It is the tool or machine, not the person — the person is the one who launches it.

A launcherlauncher，is a thing that sends something off into the air or into space是把某樣東西發射到空中或太空裡的東西。The clearest cases are military and space最清楚的例子是軍事和太空領域：a rocket launcher is the tube a soldier fires a rocket froma rocket launcher（火箭筒）是士兵發射火箭用的那根管子，a missile launcher is the equipment that sends a missile upa missile launcher（飛彈發射器）是把飛彈送上去的裝備，and in space news the whole rocket that carries a satellite is often called the launcher而在太空新聞裡，載送衛星的整支火箭常常就被叫做launcher。It is the tool or machine, not the person它指的是工具或機器，不是人——the person is the one who launches it發射它的那個人才是「發射者」。

The word also gets used for smaller, harmless things that throw objects: a machine that throws tennis balls for practice, or clay discs for shooting practice, can be called a launcher.

The word also gets used for smaller, harmless things that throw objects這個字也用在比較小、無害、會拋出東西的裝置上：a machine that throws tennis balls for practice練習用、會拋網球出來的機器，or clay discs for shooting practice或是射擊練習用的飛靶，can be called a launcher都可以叫做launcher。

And there is a very common modern computer meaning your students will meet more often than the rocket one: on a phone or computer, a launcher is the piece of software you tap to start other programs — the home screen on an Android phone is called a launcher, and people install different ones to change how their phone looks. Same idea underneath: it sends something off.

And there is a very common modern computer meaning而且還有一個很常見的現代電腦用法，your students will meet more often than the rocket one你的學生會比火箭那個意思更常遇到——on a phone or computer在手機或電腦上，a launcher is the piece of software you tap to start other programslauncher是你點下去啟動其他程式的那個軟體：the home screen on an Android phone is called a launcherAndroid手機的主畫面就叫做launcher，and people install different ones to change how their phone looks人們會安裝不同的launcher來改變手機的外觀。Same idea underneath底層概念是一樣的：it sends something off它把某樣東西送出去。