I. |süpə(r)|sänik, -nēk adjective
Etymology: Latin super- + son us sound + English -ic — more at sound
1. : having a frequency above the audibility range of the human ear or greater than about 20,000 cycles per second — used of waves and vibrations; compare infrasonic , sonic
2. : utilizing, produced by, or relating to supersonic waves or vibrations
supersonic testing of metal
supersonic disintegration of a chemical
3. : of, indicating, or relating to speeds from one to five times the speed of sound in air — compare sonic , transonic
4. : moving, capable of moving, or utilizing air currents moving at supersonic speed
supersonic airplane
supersonic wind tunnel
5. : relating to supersonic aircraft or missiles
supersonic age
6. : having a quality (as speed, virtue, or intensity) to an extreme degree : super
a recording of almost supersonic realism — Irving Kolodin
a supersonic version … delivered breathlessly in one minute flat — Winston Brebner
• su·per·son·i·cal·ly -nə̇k(ə)lē, -nēk-, -li adverb
II. noun
( -s )
: a supersonic wave or frequency