Velocity is the speed at which something moves in a particular direction.
[technical]
...the velocity of light.
...the velocities at which the stars orbit.
...high velocity rifles.
Synonyms: speed, pace, rapidity, quickness More Synonyms of velocity
velocity in British English
(vɪˈlɒsɪtɪ)
nounWord forms: plural-ties
1.
speed of motion, action, or operation; rapidity; swiftness
2. physics
a measure of the rate of motion of a body expressed as the rate of change of its position in a particular direction with time. It is measured in metres per second, miles per hour, etc
Symbol: u, v, w
3. physics(not in technical usage) another word for speed (sense 3)
Word origin
C16: from Latin vēlōcitās, from vēlōx swift; related to volāre to fly
velocity in American English
(vəˈlɑsəti)
nounWord forms: pluralveˈlocities
1.
quickness or rapidity of motion or action; swiftness; speed
2.
a.
rate of change of position, in relation to time; speed (sense 2) speed (sense 2a)
b.
a vector quantity that specifies both the speed of a body and its direction of motion
abbrev. v
Word origin
Fr vélocité < L velocitas < velox: see velocipede
Examples of 'velocity' in a sentence
velocity
This high velocity enabled a design requiring a comparatively small "reaction mass".
Baxter, Stephen Anti-Ice (1993)
But how can they reach the required velocity without the high temperature?
Fisher, David E. Fire and Ice - the Greenhouse Effect, Ozone Depletion, and Nuclear Winter (1990)
This he subsequently flew to the verges of space in the search for escape velocity.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
This increase in velocity of circulation has been driven largely by the reckless growth of the financial sector.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Her terminal velocity was very low.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He would also put the velocity of circulation very high, probably above the volume of currency.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
No problem: just stay below escape velocity.
Schneider, Hermann & Schneider, Leo The Harper Dictionary of Science in Everyday Language (1988)
Capital velocity is a measure of how much capital is being invested in proportion to the size of the company's asset base.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
V is the velocity of circulation, the speed money flows around the economy.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
You get good at making them by doing it over and over, and so they need to serve at a higher velocity than here.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The governor of the Bank of England used to talk of the economy needing escape velocity before policy is tightened.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
By contrast, Keynesian economists argue that the velocity of circulation is unstable and changes rapidly and may offset changes in the money stock.
Pass, Christopher, Lowes, Bryan Collins Dictionary of Economics (1993)
In other languages
velocity
British English: velocity NOUN
Velocity is the speed at which something moves in a particular direction.
...the velocity of light.
American English: velocity
Brazilian Portuguese: velocidade
Chinese: > 速度沿某一方向运动的
European Spanish: velocidad
French: vélocité
German: Geschwindigkeit
Italian: velocità
Japanese: 速度
Korean: 속도
European Portuguese: velocidade
Latin American Spanish: velocidad
All related terms of 'velocity'
high-velocity
having an above average velocity
velocity head
the velocity of a fluid expressed in terms of the head or static pressure required to produce that velocity. It equals ρν/2 where ρ is the density of the fluid and ν is the velocity. In hydrology the density of water can be written 1/ G where G is the gravitational constant
escape velocity
the minimum velocity that a body must have in order to escape from the gravitational field of the earth or other celestial body
muzzle velocity
the velocity of a projectile as it leaves a firearm's muzzle
radial velocity
the component of the velocity of an object, esp a celestial body, directed along a line from the observer to the object
angular velocity
the velocity of a body rotating about a specified axis measured as the rate of change of the angle subtended at that axis by the path of the body
orbital velocity
the velocity required by a spacecraft , satellite , etc, to enter and maintain a given orbit
particle velocity
the velocity of a point in a medium that is undergoing wave motion
terminal velocity
the constant maximum velocity reached by a body falling under gravity through a fluid , esp the atmosphere
low-velocity zone
a layer or zone in the earth in which the velocity of seismic waves is slightly lower than in the layers above and below. The asthenosphere is thought to be such a zone
velocity modulation
the modulation in velocity of a beam of electrons or ions caused by passing the beam through a high-frequency electric field, as in a cavity resonator
velocity of money
the frequency with which a single unit of currency or the total money supply turns over within the economy in a given year
characteristic velocity
a measure of the effectiveness with which the combustion in a rocket engine produces high temperature and pressure, equal to the exhaust velocity divided by the thrust coefficient
constant velocity joint
A constant velocity joint is a universal joint in which the output shaft rotates at constant speed if the input shaft speed is constant.
velocity of circulation
the average number of times a unit of money is used in a given time, esp calculated as the ratio of the total money spent in that time to the total amount of money in circulation
phase speed
the speed at which the phase of a wave is propagated , the product of the frequency times the wavelength . This is the quantity that is determined by methods using interference . In a dispersive medium it differs from the group speed
group speed
the speed at which energy is propagated in a wave . This is the quantity determined when one measures the distance which the radiation travels in a given time. In a medium in which the speed increases with wavelength the group speed is less than the phase speed, and vice versa
Chinese translation of 'velocity'
velocity
(vɪˈlɔsɪtɪ)
n(c/u)
速度 (sùdù)
(noun)
Definition
the speed at which something is moving in a particular direction
the velocity at which the planets orbit
Synonyms
speed
I was amazed at his speed of working.
pace
driving at a steady pace
rapidity
the rapidity with which the weather can change
quickness
swiftness
With incredible swiftness she ran down the passage.
fleetness
celerity (formal)
Additional synonyms
in the sense of celerity
Definition
swiftness
Synonyms
speed,
expedition,
dispatch,
velocity,
haste,
rapidity,
quickness,
swiftness,
promptness,
fleetness
in the sense of pace
Definition
speed of doing some other activity
driving at a steady pace
Synonyms
speed,
rate,
momentum,
tempo,
progress,
motion,
clip (informal),
lick (informal),
velocity
in the sense of rapidity
the rapidity with which the weather can change
Synonyms
speed,
swiftness,
promptness,
speediness,
rush,
hurry,
expedition,
dispatch,
velocity,
haste,
alacrity,
quickness,
briskness,
fleetness,
celerity (formal),
promptitude,
precipitateness
Nearby words of
velocity
veil
veiled
vein
velocity
velvety
venal
vendetta
Synonyms of 'velocity'
velocity
Explore 'velocity' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of swiftness
With incredible swiftness she ran down the passage.