supersonic

/'sju:pə'sɔnik/

Thân thiện

A supersonic jet creates a visible shock wave as it flies.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Relating to or denoting a speed greater than that of sound in a given medium, especially air: This is the primary meaning, describing an object moving faster than the speed of sound.
   • Relating to sound waves with a frequency above the upper limit of human hearing (approximately 20,000 Hz): This meaning is used in physics and acoustics to describe inaudible, high-frequency vibrations.

Usage and Examples

• Describing speed:
  • The military is testing a new supersonic jet.
  • When an aircraft goes supersonic, it creates a sonic boom.
• Describing sound frequency:
  • Bats use supersonic echolocation to navigate in the dark.
  • Some cleaning devices use supersonic waves.

Advanced Usage

• "Supersonic speed": A common collocation explicitly stating the type of speed.
  • The missile reached supersonic speed within seconds.
• "Supersonic travel": Refers to the concept of transportation faster than sound.
  • Commercial supersonic travel was pioneered by the Concorde.

Variants and Related Words

• Subsonic (adj): Of or denoting a speed less than that of sound.
  • Most commercial airliners fly at subsonic speeds.
• Transonic (adj): Relating to speeds close to that of sound.
  • Aircraft experience unique aerodynamic effects in the transonic range.
• Hypersonic (adj): Of or denoting a speed greatly exceeding that of sound (often more than five times the speed of sound).
  • Hypersonic glide vehicles are a focus of advanced weapons research.

Synonyms

• Faster-than-sound: A descriptive synonym for the speed-related meaning.
• Ultrasonic: A near-synonym for the frequency-related meaning, though "ultrasonic" is more common in technical contexts for sound waves.

Related Phrases and Compounds

• Supersonic aircraft: An airplane capable of supersonic flight.
• Supersonic flow: In aerodynamics, the flow of air or another gas at supersonic speed.
• Supersonic transport (SST): A term for civil aircraft designed to fly at supersonic speeds.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. having frequencies above those of audible sound
2. (of speed) greater than the speed of sound in a given medium (especially air)
   • a supersonic bomber flies so fast that it must release its bombs while the target is still over the horizon

Từ đồng nghĩa

• ultrasonic