supersonic
Outpacing sound waves
Supersonic means faster than the speed of sound—about 767 miles per hour at sea level.
A supersonic jet breaks the sound barrier, producing a sonic boom.
The term applies to aircraft, missiles, and projectiles that exceed this threshold: The Concorde was a supersonic passenger aircraft.
Figuratively, supersonic suggests extreme speed or intensity.
Supersonic passenger aircraft
- SR-71Supersonic American reconnaissance aircraft
- BlackbirdLegendary supersonic reconnaissance jet
- jetForced fluid stream
- fighterOne who engages in combat
afterburner · turbojet · ramjet · scramjet · nozzle · thrust · combustion · exhaust
Sonic speed ratio
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- accelerationRate velocity changes
- thrustForceful forward motion
- propulsionForce driving movement forward
aerodynamics · drag · barrier · land speed record · Concorde · SR-71 · faster-than-light · speedometer
Loud deep sound
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
- overpressurePressure exceeding ambient levels
- blastSudden forceful burst
- compressionForcing into smaller space
wavefront · thunderclap · pressure gradient · boundary layer · reentry · atmospheric
Rate of recurrence
- pitchFrequency of sound
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
- decibelsAcoustic intensity units
amplitude · soundwave · waveform · hertz · ultrasound · infrasound · Doppler effect · acoustic
Concorde
Supersonic passenger aircraft
- SR-71Supersonic American reconnaissance aircraft
- BlackbirdLegendary supersonic reconnaissance jet
- jetForced fluid stream
fighter · afterburner · turbojet · ramjet · scramjet · nozzle · thrust · combustion · exhaust · turbine
Mach
Sonic speed ratio
- velocityDirected rate of motion
- accelerationRate velocity changes
- thrustForceful forward motion
propulsion · aerodynamics · drag · barrier · land speed record · Concorde · SR-71 · faster-than-light · speedometer · airspeed
boom
Loud deep sound
- shockwavePropagating pressure disturbance
- overpressurePressure exceeding ambient levels
- blastSudden forceful burst
compression · wavefront · thunderclap · pressure gradient · boundary layer · reentry · atmospheric
frequency
Rate of recurrence
- pitchFrequency of sound
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
decibels · amplitude · soundwave · waveform · hertz · ultrasound · infrasound · Doppler effect · acoustic · oscillation
- "super" wordssuperhero, superstar, superman, superwoman, superpower
- military aircraftfighter jets, F-16, fighter, F-18, bomber
- SupersonicsMach number, shock wave, Mach 1, Mach 2, Mach
- soundechoes, acoustics, vibrations, audio, volume
- speedspeed, quickness, rate, velocity, pace
- aerospaceairplane, helicopter, rocket, rockets, spacecraft
supersonicslow
Lacking in speed
crawling · sluggish · slow-moving · plodding · stationary
- supersonic jetsAircraft exceeding sound speed
- supersonic aircraftPlane exceeding sound speed
- supersonic flightAviation exceeding sound speed
- supersonic travelFlight exceeding sound's speed
- Seattle SuperSonicsFormer professional basketball team
- supersonic transportPlane exceeding Mach one