hypersonic

[hahy-per-son-ik]

adjective

1. noting or pertaining to speed that is at least five times that of sound in the same medium.

hypersonic

/ ˌhaɪpəˈsɒnɪk /

adjective

1. concerned with or having a velocity of at least five times that of sound in the same medium under the same conditions

hypersonic

1. Relating to or capable of speeds equal to or exceeding five times the speed of sound (Mach 5 and above).

2. Compare subsonic supersonic transonic

Other Word Forms

• hypersonics noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of hypersonic¹

First recorded in 1935–40; hyper- + sonic

Example Sentences

Creating hypersonic aircraft requires a much deeper understanding of how air behaves at Mach 5, Mach 6, or even Mach 10.

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If it ever becomes achievable, hypersonic flight could dramatically reshape international travel.

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"It really shrinks the planet," says Professor Nicholaus Parziale, whose work centers on turning hypersonic travel from aspiration into reality.

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This also suggests that future hypersonic aircraft may not require a completely different design philosophy.

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That gap led to Parziale's recent research, described in his study Hypersonic Turbulent Quantities in Support of Morkovin's Hypothesis, published in Nature Communications on November 12, 2025.

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Related Words

• agile 
• brisk 
• hot 
• nimble 
• quick 
• rapid 
• swift