acceleration

/əkˌsɛl.əˈɹeɪ.ʃən/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: accelerations

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The act of accelerating, or the state of being accelerated; increase of motion or action; as opposed to retardation or deceleration.

Noun

Examples

A falling body moves toward the earth with an acceleration of velocity.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

The amount by which a speed or velocity increases (and so a scalar quantity or a vector quantity).

Noun

Examples

The boosters produce an acceleration of 20 metres per second per second.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “acceleration” mean?

The act of accelerating, or the state of being accelerated; increase of motion or action; as opposed to retardation or deceleration.

Is “acceleration” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.