ENGLISH
REFERENCE

supersonic

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˌsupɝˈsɑnɪk// UK //sˈuːpəsˈɒnɪk// su·per·son·ic Informal

adj. moving or traveling faster than the speed of sound. You use this to describe very fast planes or the loud noise they make when they break the sound barrier.

adj. relating to or capable of achieving speeds greater than the speed of sound in the surrounding medium. Typically used attributively to describe aircraft, projectiles, or airflow.


SIMPLE

The supersonic jet crossed the ocean in record time.

CONTEXTUAL

Residents living near the airbase often hear a loud boom when the fighter jets reach supersonic speeds during training.

COMPLEX

Engineers must account for extreme heat and pressure when designing the fuselage of a supersonic transport vehicle to ensure structural integrity at Mach 2.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From super- + sonic. Doublet of hypersonic.

Usage

Typically precedes the noun it modifies; often used in technical or aviation contexts.

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