velocity

noun

ve·​loc·​i·​ty və-ˈlä-sə-tē 

-ˈlä-stē

plural velocities

1

a

: quickness of motion : speed

the velocity of sound

b

: rapidity of movement

[my horse's] strong suit is grace & personal comeliness, rather than velocity

—Mark Twain

c

: speed imparted to something

the power pitcher relies on velocity

—Tony Scherman

2

: the rate of change of position along a straight line with respect to time : the derivative of position with respect to time

3

a

: rate of occurrence or action : rapidity

the velocity of historical change

—R. J. Lifton

b

: rate of turnover

the velocity of money

Synonyms

• celerity
• fastness
• fleetness
• haste
• hurry
• quickness
• rapidity
• rapidness
• speed
• speediness
• swiftness

Examples of velocity in a Sentence

particles moving at high velocities

measuring the velocity of sound

the velocity of a bullet

Recent Examples on the Web

Read more Solar system Watch: NASA Experts Discuss Mission to 'Touch the Sun' Archaeologists Discover Mysterious Floor of Bones in City Center Using the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile's Atacama Desert, astronomers detected and measured the high velocities of the D9 stars. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024

Here, the faster surface velocity of the rotating Earth means that a rocket can deliver around 24 percent more power than one fired from the Kennedy Space Center but with the same amount of thrust. —Rob Crossan, JSTOR Daily, 13 Dec. 2024

Conclave combines the pulp velocity of a great airport read with the gravitas of high drama. —Vulture Editors, Vulture, 13 Dec. 2024

Youth, velocity, charisma, and undeniable star power—the film itself became a rallying cry for a new crowd of Shakespeare movies, often cast with Hollywood’s young royalty and geared toward mainstream audiences. —Helen Shaw, The New Yorker, 11 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English velocite, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French veloceté, borrowed from Latin vēlōcitāt-, vēlōcitās, from vēlōc-, vēlōx "swift, rapid" (of uncertain origin) + -itāt-, -itās -ity

Note: If going back to earlier *ueg-s-l-o-, perhaps a derivative from the base of vegēre "to give vigor to, enliven" (see vegetate) or vehere "to convey" (Indo-European *u̯eǵh-; see vehicle), assimilated to the -ōk- of ātrōx, ferōx (see atrocious, ferocious). Alternatively, a derivative *uē-lo-, from the Indo-European base *h₂u̯eh₁- "blow" (hence, "windlike"; see wind entry 1) has been suggested.

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing velocity

• angular velocity
• escape velocity

Kids Definition

velocity

noun

ve·​loc·​i·​ty və-ˈläs-ət-ē 

-ˈläs-tē

plural velocities

1

: quickness of motion : speed

the velocity of sound

2

: the rate of change of position along a straight line with respect to time

3

: rate of occurrence or action

the velocity of political change