speed limit

American  

noun

1. the maximum speed at which a vehicle is legally permitted to travel, as within a specific area, on a certain road, or under given conditions.

---

speed limit British  

noun

1. the maximum permitted speed at which a vehicle may travel on certain roads

---

Etymology

Origin of speed limit

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

Gladiators presenter Barney Walsh has been handed a six-month driving ban after breaking a temporary 50mph speed limit on a motorway.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

Drivers who are photographed going 11 mph or more over the posted speed limit will have a 60-day grace period before they’re fined.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

SYDNEY—Australia’s economy grew strongly in the final quarter of last year at a pace that’s considered by most economists to be well above its natural speed limit, stoking the case for higher interest rates.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Although the current measurements are capped at 140 picoseconds, the material's true speed limit may be even shorter.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

Sometimes she’d veer out of her lane for a second or slow down so much, she’d be driving way below the speed limit.

From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall