sonic boom
noun
a loud noise caused by the shock wave generated by an aircraft moving at supersonic speed.
Nearby words
songwriter, soni-, sonia, sonic, sonic barrier, sonic boom, sonic depth finder, sonication, sonics, soniferous, sonification
Origin of sonic boom
First recorded in 1950–55
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for sonic boom
sonic boom
noun
a loud explosive sound caused by the shock wave of an aircraft, etc, travelling at supersonic speed
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Science definitions for sonic boom
sonic boom
A shock wave of compressed air caused by an aircraft traveling faster than the speed of sound. It is often audible as a loud, explosive sound, and it sometimes causes damage to structures on the ground.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Culture definitions for sonic boom
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.