acceleration
acceleration Lexical Profile
acceleration Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The act or process of moving faster, happening more quickly, or increasing in rate or extent.
"The sudden acceleration of technological innovation transformed the global economy within a single decade."
In physics, the rate of change of velocity of an object with respect to time, encompassing changes in either speed or direction.
"The students calculated the downward acceleration of the falling sphere due to Earth's gravity."
A vehicle's capacity to gain speed within a short period of time.
"The new electric sedan offers impressive acceleration when merging onto busy highways."
Word Nuance & Usage
In everyday usage, 'acceleration' refers specifically to an increase in speed, whereas in physics it denotes any change in velocity—including slowing down (negative acceleration) or changing direction at a constant speed.
• Rhymes for acceleration
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 16th century from Latin acceleratio ('a hastening'), a noun of action from the verb accelerare ('to hasten or quicken'), formed from ad- ('to, toward') and celer ('swift').