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Synonyms

mach

1 American  
[mahk] / mɑk /
Or Mach

noun

  1. mach number.


Mach 2 American  
[mahk, mahkh] / mɑk, mɑx /

noun

  1. Ernst 1838–1916, Austrian physicist, psychologist, and philosopher.


mach. 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. machine.

  2. machinery.

  3. machinist.


Mach 1 British  
/ mæk /

noun

  1. short for Mach number

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Mach 2 British  
/ max /

noun

  1. Ernst (ɛrnst). 1838–1916, Austrian physicist and philosopher. He devised the system of speed measurement using the Mach number. He also founded logical positivism, asserting that the validity of a scientific law is proved only after empirical testing

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Mach Scientific  
/ mäk,mäkh /
  1. Austrian physicist and philosopher who experimented with supersonic projectiles and the flow of gases, obtaining early photographs of shock waves and gas jets. His work laid an important foundation for later developments in the science of projectiles and aeronautical design, and the Mach number and Mach bands were named for him.


Usage

How fast is Mach 1? A Mach number is the ratio of an object's speed in a given medium to the speed of sound in that medium. Mach 1, then, is the speed of sound, around 761 mph at sea level on a standard day. The term is also used as a metaphor for high speeds more generally. How to pronounce Mach 1[ mahk wuhn ]

Etymology

Origin of mach

After Ernst Mach

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

After the results, Bhattacharya said, the BJP would send "different kinds of small fish" to Banerjee's house and invite her party workers over for mach bhaat, Bengali for fish and rice.

From BBC Apr. 20, 2026

Air Force Captain Kristin "BEO" Wolfe performs the "high-speed pass" maneuver at approximately .95 mach, which is just below the speed of sound, at the 2020 Fort Lauderdale Air Show in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.

From Reuters Nov. 16, 2021

I will be curious to see what mach his framework has achieved by then.

From Forbes Mar. 10, 2013

A Sabre jet is built to fly at mach .91, i.e.,

From Time Magazine Archive

A half burnt mach was obtained, and a company of soldjers embarked upon it.

From The Bad Boy At Home And His Experiences In Trying To Become An Editor - 1885 by Victor, Metta Victoria Fuller

The first dates to the 1880s and was introduced by physicist Ernst Mach.

From Science Daily Jul. 17, 2026

El Segundo-based industrial supplies company Advanced Manufacturing Company of America and Huntington Beach-based aerospace company Mach Industries each raised $300 million.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 10, 2026

The funding will help Mach Industries expand its manufacturing, advance its technology and deepen its partnerships with customers that include the U.S.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 3, 2026

But the 24-year-old company has still been around a year longer than Ethan Thornton, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology dropout who is taking it over in an acquisition by his drone startup, Mach Industries.

From The Wall Street Journal May 19, 2026

The most visionary of the brain busters pined for the day when a pilot could take one of their creations for a hypersonic joy ride: Mach 5 or faster.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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