Hypersonic
/ˌhaɪpərˈsɑːnɪk/noun
Moving at speeds much greater than the speed of sound.
Did you know?The first part, hyper-, is the same ancient Greek prefix behind words like hyperactive and hyperbole, originally meaning “over, beyond,” not “sci-fi speed.”
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
hýper
“over, beyond, above”
Modern Scientific Greek
Greek
hypersonikos
“pertaining to speeds beyond the ordinary range of sound”
20th Century
English
hypersonic
“moving at speeds greater than five times the speed of sound”
Modern English
English
hypersonic
“extremely fast, especially faster than Mach 5”
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