Speed — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms
Meaning & Definition of Speed
Speed (noun)
- rate of motion
- velocity
- the magnitude of a velocity irrespective of direction
Speed (verb)
- to make haste
- to go or drive at excessive or illegal speed
- to move, work, or take place faster, accelerate
Speed (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms
-
a high rate of movement or performance
"we dashed off the remaining paperwork with as much speed as possible so we could leave for the long weekend"
-
a person or thing that is preferred over others
"that kind of old-fashioned horror movie is just my speed"
Speed (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms
-
to proceed or move quickly
"a bullet train speeding across the lush countryside"
Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Speed
The most common words with a similar meaning to Speed:
Antonyms & Opposite Words for Speed
Words with the opposite meaning of Speed:
Near Antonyms of Speed
Word Forms of Speed
Origin & Etymology of Speed
Middle English sped, speede, spede "luck, fortune, good fortune, success, assistance, benefit, rate of motion or progress," going back to Old English spēd "luck, success, riches, opportunity, power," spēdum (dative plural used adverbially) "swiftly," going back to West Germanic *spōdi- (whence also Old Saxon spōd "success, advantage," Middle Dutch spoed "prosperity, progress, haste," Old High German spuot "quickness, velocity"), derivative with the abstract noun suffix -ti- from the base of *spōan- "to succeed" (whence Old English spōwan "to succeed, thrive" [Class VII strong verb], Middle Dutch spoen "to strive," Old High German spuoen "to succeed"), going back to an o-grade derivative of the Indo-European verbal base *speh1- "thrive, prosper," whence also Old Church Slavic spějǫ, spěti "to have success," Lithuanian spė́ju, spė́ti "to manage (to do something)," Sanskrit sphā́yate "(s/he) grows fat, increases," Hittite išpāi "(s/he) gets full, is satiated"; as nominal derivatives Latin spēs "hope" (< *speh1-), Latin prosperus "agreeable to one's wishes, successful, prosperous," Old Russian sporŭ "abundant," Sanskrit sphiráḥ "fat" (< *sph1-ró-)
First known use: before 12th century
Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Speed
- CEFR level: A2 English Vocabulary — Page 17
- Topics: Science & Research
Words & Phrases Containing Speed
Frequently Asked Questions about Speed
What does "Speed" mean?
"Speed" means rate of motion. As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: rate of motion. It has 3 distinct senses.
What is another word for "Speed"?
Other words for "Speed" include celerity, fastness, fleetness, haste, hurry, quickness, rapidity and rapidness. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Speed" you intend.
What are different ways to say "Speed"?
There are 122 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Speed". Common alternatives include celerity, fastness, fleetness, haste, hurry, quickness, rapidity, rapidness, speediness and swiftness.
What is the opposite of "Speed"?
Antonyms of "Speed" include slowness, sluggishness, crawl, creep and poke. Near antonyms include languidness, languor, leisureliness and lethargy.
How do you use "Speed" in a sentence?
Examples of "Speed" in a sentence: "we dashed off the remaining paperwork with as much speed as possible so we could leave for the long weekend"; "that kind of old-fashioned horror movie is just my speed"; "a bullet train speeding across the lush countryside".
Is "Speed" a noun, verb, or adjective?
"Speed" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.
Is "Speed" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?
As an A2-level word, "Speed" is typical of Cambridge A2 Key (KET), PTE Academic 30–42, TOEIC Listening & Reading 225+.
How do you pronounce "Speed"?
"Speed" is pronounced /ˈspēd/.