sonic
Americanadjective
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of or relating to sound.
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noting or pertaining to a speed equal to that of sound in air at the same height above sea level.
adjective
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of, involving, or producing sound
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having a speed about equal to that of sound in air: 331 metres per second (741 miles per hour) at 0°C
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sonic
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Explanation
The adjective sonic means related to audible sound or to the speed of sound waves. If something goes faster than the speed of sound, it creates a sonic boom, a shock wave that sounds like an explosion. The adjective sonic was coined in the 1920s, from the Latin sonus, or "sound." Ever since, it's been used not only to describe things relating to sound, but also things that travel as fast as sound. The Sonic fast food chain originally advertised "Service With the Speed of Sound." A super-fast Japanese express train is called Sonic. And the Sonic the Hedgehog video games feature a speedy main character.
Vocabulary lists containing sonic
Common Senses: Son ("Sound")
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Lend Me Your Ears: Sound Words
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My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich
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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.
The investment bank’s analysts says that service providers such as Ramsay Health Care and Sonic Healthcare are likely to be hit harder due to their lower margins.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
But even by those standards, the scenes of Jesus Christ and Sonic the Hedgehog racing past security guards employed by the Church of Scientology in recent days were a little bizarre.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026
The company plans to price its new drinks below competitors like Starbucks, Sonic Drive-In, and Dutch Bros, the Journal reported.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
She’s the coolest celebrity’s go-to for fashion counsel, working with Natasha Lyonne and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026
They’re wearing his favorite Sonic Youth T-shirt with the hole in the front left shoulder.
From "Please Ignore Vera Dietz" by A.S. King
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
