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supersonic wave

supersonic wave

6.3
A wave that travels faster than the speed of sound in air or other materials
  • noun
  • /ˌsuːpərˈsɒnɪk weɪv/
translation icon : onda supersónica
  • The supersonic wave from the explosion shattered glass windows a mile away.

Examples

  • You could hear a distinct crack as the supersonic wave traveled through the tunnel.

  • Researchers studied the effects of a supersonic wave passing through different materials.

  • The supersonic wave created a loud boom.

  • Did you hear the supersonic waves from the jet?

  • The supersonic wave from the explosion shattered glass windows a mile away.

  • Researchers studied the effects of a supersonic wave passing through different materials.

  • You could hear a distinct crack as the supersonic wave traveled through the tunnel.

Antonyms

subsonic
  • Specialized
4 6.4

Slower than the speed of sound in air

How Fast

supersonic wave
6.3
transonic
  • Specialized
9.6

Surface Forms

Morphology

supersonic + wave

The noun meaning is directly and transparently composed from the adjective 'supersonic' (faster than sound) and 'wave' (a disturbance traveling through a medium), so a learner who knows both words can infer it denotes a wave traveling faster than sound. The adjective+noun structure is a standard compositional pattern and is cross-linguistically straightforward, making the expression immediately comprehensible to B1 learners familiar with the constituents.

Etymology

Supersonic wave combines super meaning 'above' and sonic meaning 'sound' to create a simple image of a wave moving faster than sound. Imagine a fast jet that makes a sharp crack as it passes, and that loud snap shows the air reacting when something goes quicker than sound, so supersonic wave means 'a wave that travels faster than sound'.