transonic

adjective

tran·​son·​ic tran(t)s-ˈsä-nik How to pronounce transonic (audio)
tran-ˈsä-
variants or less commonly transsonic
1
: being or relating to speeds near that of sound in air or about 741 miles (1185 kilometers) per hour at sea level and especially to speeds slightly below the speed of sound at which the speed of airflow varies from subsonic to supersonic at different points along the surface of a body in motion relative to the surrounding air
2
: moving, capable of moving, or utilizing air currents moving at a transonic speed

Examples of transonic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This requires fast decision-making, especially when the aircraft in question is a jet flying at near transonic speed. David Szondy, New Atlas, 25 Nov. 2024 The latest test flight reached transonic speeds of Mach 0.92 and an altitude of 50,000 ft (15,000 m), or 3 times and 5 times, respectively, better than before. New Atlas, 11 Aug. 2024 Further down on the spectrum are subsonic and transonic, which are used to describe scenarios where objects are traveling either much slower than, or near, the speed of sound. Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 5 June 2023 The team said its sixth-generation transonic wing modeling capabilities and new aircraft control architecture have made significant contributions to the design. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 30 May 2023 With the help of a control system based on NI’s user-programmable FPGA instruments, the team developed a prototype of an air-bearing levitation system that allows a pod to achieve transonic speeds. David Wilson, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Jan. 2019 Following modifications, however, integration tests are apparently proceeding well, with a series of seven F-35B jump jet test-drops concluded in September of 2022—with two high-speed releases at transonic Mach .9 speeds. Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 9 Apr. 2023 The Solution The Texas Guadaloop team based at The University of Texas at Austin is designing a Hyperloop pod system to travel at transonic speeds. David Wilson, IEEE Spectrum, 23 Jan. 2019 These waves cause transonic instability. Anna Russel, The New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2021

Word History

Etymology

trans- + supersonic

First Known Use

1945, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of transonic was in 1945

Dictionary Entries Near transonic

Cite this Entry

“Transonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/transonic. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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