rapid

American  

[rap-id] / ˈræp ɪd /

adjective

rapider, rapidest

1. occurring within a short time; happening speedily.

   rapid growth.

2. moving or acting with great speed; swift.

   a rapid worker.

3. characterized by speed.

   rapid motion.

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noun

1. Usually rapids a part of a river where the current runs very swiftly.

rapid British  

/ ˈræpɪd, rəˈpɪdɪtɪ /

adjective

1. (of an action or movement) performed or occurring during a short interval of time; quick

   a rapid transformation

2. characterized by high speed

   rapid movement

3. acting or moving quickly; fast

   a rapid worker

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Related Words

See quick.

Other Word Forms

• rapidity noun
• rapidly adverb
• ultrarapid adjective

Etymology

Origin of rapid

First recorded in 1625–35, rapid is from the Latin word rapidus “tearing away, seizing, swift”; rape ¹, -id ⁴

Example Sentences

The group has previously spoken about the pressures of their rapid global rise to fame and the online scrutiny that has accompanied it.

From BBC

Demand for iron ore has been driven by rapid infrastructure expansion and industrial growth in India, which is on track to become the world's fourth largest economy.

From Barron's

“After years of rapid growth of Medicare Advantage, we might be starting to see sort of a rightsizing of this market,” Freed said.

From MarketWatch

By combining commercially available hardware with new adaptive measurement techniques, the team can now observe rapid shifts in qubit behavior that were previously impossible to see.

From Science Daily

"When patients arrive in a neurology clinic they have used up their internal reserve capacity, so the progression of weakness is often rapid."

From BBC

Related Words

• accelerated
• breakneck
• brisk
• expeditious
• fast
• hasty
• speedy
• swift