supersonic

1 of 2

adjective

su·​per·​son·​ic ˌsü-pər-ˈsä-nik 

1

: ultrasonic

2

: of, being, or relating to speeds from one to five times the speed of sound in air compare sonic

3

: moving, capable of moving, or utilizing air currents moving at supersonic speed

4

: relating to supersonic airplanes or missiles

the supersonic age

supersonically

ˌsü-pər-ˈsä-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

supersonic

2 of 2

noun

1

: a supersonic wave or frequency

2

: a supersonic airplane

Examples of supersonic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

This is because the new FRC system allowed the engineers to dump the long quartz tubes at either end of the chamber that were used for plasma creation through supersonic collisions during plasma injection. —David Szondy may 10, New Atlas, 10 May 2025

His first-person stories include supersonic rides in eight separate aircraft pulling up to 9 Gs and flying to 84,000 feet; driving a Bugatti at 253 mph and Indy cars at 200 mph; expeditions to the North and South Poles; summiting the Matterhorn and 23,000-ft. —Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Noun

The cruise missiles and supersonics leap forward as the swarms line up behind. —David Szondy, New Atlas, 7 Aug. 2024

The Low Boom Flight Demonstrator Project hopes to revive commercial supersonic by reducing a jet’s sonic boom. —Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, 16 Mar. 2020

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin super- + sonus sound — more at sound entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1924, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing supersonic

• supersonic transport

Rhymes for supersonic

• anharmonic
• anionic
• avionic
• catatonic
• cationic
• chorionic
• cosmogonic
• diachronic
• diatonic
• electronic
• embryonic
• excitonic

Kids Definition

supersonic

adjective

su·​per·​son·​ic

ˌsü-pər-ˈsän-ik

1

: ultrasonic

2

: of, being, or relating to speeds from one to five times the speed of sound in air

3

: moving, capable of moving, or using air currents moving at supersonic speed

a supersonic airplane

supersonically

-i-k(ə-)lē

adverb

Medical Definition

supersonic

1 of 2 adjective

su·​per·​son·​ic -ˈsän-ik 

1

: ultrasonic sense 1

2

: of, being, or relating to speeds from one to five times the speed of sound in air compare sonic

3

: moving, capable of moving, or utilizing air currents moving at supersonic speed

4

: relating to supersonic airplanes or missiles

the supersonic age

supersonically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

supersonic

2 of 2 noun

1

: a supersonic wave or frequency

2

: a supersonic airplane