Meaning & use
velocity
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Meanings
nouncountable or uncountablephysics
How fast something moves in a particular direction; speed combined with direction.
Grammar: In physics a vector: a velocity of 20 meters per second north.
Patterns
- the velocity of something
- at a velocity of something
The ball left the bat at a velocity of forty meters per second.
Two cars may have the same speed but different velocities if they travel in different directions.
Engineers measured the velocity of the water in the pipe.
noununcountableformal
Speed in general, especially great speed.
Grammar: Used loosely in everyday and business speech: the velocity of change.
Patterns
- the velocity of something
The rumor spread with surprising velocity.
They were shocked by the velocity of the storm.
The company grew with startling velocity.
noununcountablebusiness
The rate at which work or sales happen, in business and project management.
Grammar: Used in management to describe pace of work: team velocity.
Patterns
- sales velocity
- team velocity
The team tracks its velocity across each sprint.
Rising sales velocity pleased the managers.
Improving velocity means finishing tasks faster.
Word forms
| plural | velocities |
|---|
Common combinations
- high velocity
- A high velocity impact caused the damage.
- escape velocity
- A rocket must reach escape velocity to leave Earth.
- terminal velocity
- A skydiver reaches terminal velocity in free fall.
- constant velocity
- The train moved at constant velocity.
- measure velocity
- Radar guns measure velocity.
- wind velocity
- Wind velocity topped 80 miles per hour.
Synonyms and how they differ
- speed
- Gives only how fast, with no direction, whereas velocity includes direction.
- rate
- A general measure of how quickly something changes, not necessarily movement.
- pace
- Is used for how quickly someone moves or does things, in an everyday style.
- momentum
- Combines mass and velocity, so it is a different quantity.
Opposites
Word family
- velocimeter noun
- an instrument that measures velocity
- velocity noun
- the base noun
- velocimetry noun
- the measuring of velocity, especially of fluids
Commonly confused: velocity or speed?
velocity vs speed
Speed is how fast something moves; velocity is speed in a stated direction. A car going round a track at steady speed changes velocity constantly.
Practice
A car drives 60 km/h north. Which statement describes its velocity?
Choose one answer.
Velocity needs both a rate and a direction. 60 km/h alone is speed, and the others are incomplete.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “velocity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.