supersonic

[soo-per-son-ik]

adjective

1. greater than the speed of sound waves through air.

2. capable of achieving such speed.

   a supersonic plane.

3. ultrasonic.

supersonic

/ ˌsuːpəˈsɒnɪk /

adjective

1. being, having, or capable of reaching a speed in excess of the speed of sound

   supersonic aircraft

supersonic

1. Having a speed greater than that of sound in a designated medium, usually air; having a speed greater than Mach 1.

2. Compare hypersonic subsonic transonic

Other Word Forms

• supersonically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of supersonic¹

First recorded in 1915–20; super- + sonic

Example Sentences

On a crisp morning in California’s Mojave Desert, the skies cleared just enough for a jet to take off—and go supersonic.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The people in the Blue Jays’ organization who contributed to Yesavage’s supersonic rise tell stories about their brief interactions with him as if they are recounting the origin of a veteran ace in his twilight.

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The fast solar wind -- a supersonic stream of charged particles -- originates mainly in the Sun's polar coronal holes and fills most of the heliosphere, shaping conditions in interplanetary space.

Read more on Science Daily

In terms of purely destructive power, however, hypersonic missiles are not hugely different from supersonic or subsonic cruise missiles, according to Mr Freer.

Read more on BBC

These too will be flown by RAF pilots, at supersonic speed.

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Related Words

• accelerated www.thesaurus.com
• brisk 
• expeditious 
• hasty 
• hurried 
• immediate 
• prompt 
• rapid 
• swift