transonic

American  

[tran-son-ik] / trænˈsɒn ɪk /

adjective

Chiefly Aeronautics.

1. close to the speed of propagation of sound; moving at 700–780 miles per hour (1127–1255 km/h) at sea level.

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transonic British  

/ trænˈsɒnɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to conditions when travelling at or near the speed of sound

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transonic Scientific  

/ trăn-sŏn′ĭk /

1. Relating to or capable of speeds at or near the speed of sound (at or approaching Mach 1) or to aerodynamic conditions for bodies travelling at such speeds.

2. Compare hypersonic subsonic supersonic

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Etymology

Origin of transonic

First recorded in 1940–45; trans- + sonic

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

transonic

The Hawk T1, and newer T2 versions are transonic, two-seat training aircrafts used to train fast jet pilots.

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

His research lies in the field of viscous gas dynamics, or the study of how gases move around physical objects – like missiles and jets - during transonic and supersonic flights.

From Reuters ● May 18, 2023

That way, the pilot could anticipate transonic instability.

From The New Yorker ● Aug. 13, 2018

Two other at-risk facilities are the 20-foot vertical spin tunnel and 16-foot transonic dynamics tunnel located next door at Langley Air Force Base, said Weiser.

From Washington Times ● Sep. 30, 2017

An engineer named Richard Whitcomb noticed that in the transonic speed range, the greatest turbulence occurred at the point where the wings of a model plane connected to its fuselage.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly

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