acceleration
[ ak-sel-uh-rey-shuh n ]
/ ækˌsɛl əˈreɪ ʃən /
noun
the act of accelerating; increase of speed or velocity.
a change in velocity.
Mechanics.
the time rate of change of velocity with respect to magnitude or direction; the derivative of velocity with respect to time.
Origin of acceleration
First recorded in 1525–35,
acceleration is from the Latin word
accelerātiōn- (stem of
accelerātiō). See
accelerate,
-ion
OTHER WORDS FROM acceleration
non·ac·cel·er·a·tion, noun o·ver·ac·cel·er·a·tion, noun re·ac·cel·er·a·tion, nounWords nearby acceleration
Example sentences from the Web for acceleration
British Dictionary definitions for acceleration
acceleration
/ (ækˌsɛləˈreɪʃən) /
noun
the act of accelerating or the state of being accelerated
the rate of increase of speed or the rate of change of velocity
Symbol: a
the power to accelerate
Symbol: a
Scientific definitions for acceleration
acceleration
[ ăk-sĕl′ə-rā′shən ]
The rate of change of the velocity of a moving body. An increase in the magnitude of the velocity of a moving body (an increase in speed) is called a positive acceleration; a decrease in speed is called a negative acceleration. Acceleration, like velocity, is a vector quantity, so any change in the direction of a moving body is also an acceleration. A moving body that follows a curved path, even when its speed remains constant, is undergoing acceleration. See more at gravity relativity.
Cultural definitions for acceleration
notes for acceleration
The most familiar kind of acceleration is a change in the speed of an object. An object that stays at the same speed but changes direction, however, is also being accelerated. (
See
force.)