# accelerator

/ækˈsɛɫɝˌeɪtɝ/ (US) · /ɐksˈɛləɹˌeɪtɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/accelerator
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. car pedal

noun · CEFR B1

the pedal in a vehicle that you press to make it go faster.

For teachers: a pedal or lever used to regulate the speed of a vehicle's engine.

- He pressed his foot down on the accelerator to pass the slow truck.
- The driver eased off the accelerator as the vehicle approached the sharp bend in the mountain road.

Usage: Commonly used in British English; American English speakers often prefer 'gas pedal'.

### 2. business program

noun · CEFR B2

a program that helps new businesses grow quickly by providing advice and money.

For teachers: a fixed-term, cohort-based program that includes mentorship and educational components to accelerate startup growth.

- Their tech startup was accepted into a famous business accelerator in Silicon Valley.
- The venture capital firm launched a new accelerator specifically designed to support green energy innovations in emerging markets.

### 3. physics device

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a large machine that makes tiny particles move at very high speeds.

For teachers: a device, such as a cyclotron or synchrotron, that accelerates charged subatomic particles to high velocities.

- Scientists use the massive particle accelerator to study the building blocks of the universe.
- The research team utilized the linear accelerator to observe the behavior of electrons under extreme conditions.

### 4. chemistry/photography

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a substance that makes a chemical reaction happen faster.

For teachers: a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction or reduces processing time in photography.

- The builder added an accelerator to the concrete so it would dry faster in the cold weather.
- In traditional film processing, an alkaline accelerator is added to the developer to increase the activity of the reducing agents.

### 5. computing hardware

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a piece of computer hardware that makes the system process data or graphics faster.

For teachers: a hardware component designed to perform specific processing tasks more efficiently than the general-purpose CPU.

- Installing a new graphics accelerator significantly improved the computer's gaming performance.
- The server architecture includes a dedicated hardware accelerator to handle complex cryptographic operations without taxing the main processor.

## Examples

- Press the accelerator to speed up the car.
- The new software update acts as an accelerator for our daily workflow tasks.
- In particle physics, the Large Hadron Collider serves as a massive accelerator, propelling subatomic particles to near-light speeds for collision experiments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.