accelerator

noun

ac·​cel·​er·​a·​tor ik-ˈse-lə-ˌrā-tər 

ak-

plural accelerators

: one that accelerates: such as

a

: a muscle or nerve that speeds the performance of an action

b

: a device (such as a gas pedal) for increasing the speed of a motor vehicle engine

c

: a substance that speeds a chemical reaction

d

: an apparatus for imparting high velocities to charged particles (such as electrons)

e

: an item of computer hardware that increases the speed at which a program or function operates

a graphics accelerator

Examples of accelerator in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Teradyne anticipates that this could lead to meaningful opportunities for its system-level test solutions in the AI accelerators space. —Trefis Team, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025

Companies and other entities buying them as AI accelerators may restrict the availability of the 5090, too, but Nvidia's highest GPU tier has been well out of the price range of most consumers for a while now. —Ars Technica, 7 Jan. 2025

In addition to the faster clocks and shader improvements, AMD said that RDNA 4 GPUs have third-generation AMD ray-tracing accelerators. —Michael Justin Allen Sexton, PCMAG, 6 Jan. 2025

Built on a 4nm process, the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 cards will include AMD’s second-generation AI accelerators, third-generation ray-tracing accelerators, and second-generation radiance display engine. —Tom Warren, The Verge, 6 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

accelerate + -or entry 1

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing accelerator

• accelerator mass spectrometry
• linear accelerator
• particle accelerator

Kids Definition

accelerator

noun

ac·​cel·​er·​a·​tor ik-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt-ər 

ak-

1

: one that accelerates

2

: a device (as a pedal) in a motor vehicle used to control the speed of the motor

3

: a device that is used to give high velocities to charged particles (as electrons and protons)

Medical Definition

accelerator

noun

ac·​cel·​er·​a·​tor ik-ˈsel-ə-ˌrāt-ər, ak- 

: one that accelerates: as

a

: a muscle or nerve that speeds the performance of an action

a cardiac accelerator

b

: a substance that speeds a chemical reaction

c

: an apparatus for imparting high velocities to charged particles (as electrons)