rapid

¹rap·id

adjective \ˈra-pəd\

Definition of RAPID

: marked by a fast rate of motion, activity, succession, or occurrence

— rap·id·ly adverb

— rap·id·ness noun

Examples of RAPID

1. There's been rapid growth in the number of new businesses in the town.
2. Scientists are concerned about the rapid disappearance of the island's coral reefs.
3. She carefully guided the boat through the rapid water.

Origin of RAPID

Latin rapidus seizing, sweeping, rapid, from rapere to seize, sweep away; akin to Lithuanian aprėpti to embrace

First Known Use: 1634

Related to RAPID

Synonyms

blistering, breakneck, breathless, brisk, dizzy, fleet, fleet-footed, flying, galloping, hasty, hot, lightning, nippy, quick, fast, rapid-fire, rattling, snappy, speedy, splitting, swift, whirlwind, zippy

Antonyms

slow

Related Words

expeditious, prompt, ready; accelerated, hastened, hurried, quickened, rushed; breathtaking; energetic, strenuous, strong, vigorous; high-speed; rush; ultrafast, ultrarapid

Near Antonyms

crawling, dallying, dawdling, dillydallying, dragging, laggard, languid, lingering, plodding, poking, poky (or pokey), slowish, sluggish, unhurried; deliberate, leisurely, measured; dilatory, late, tardy; ultraslow

See Synonym Discussion at fast

Rhymes with RAPID

sapid, vapid

²rapid

noun

Definition of RAPID

: a part of a river where the current is fast and the surface is usually broken by obstructions —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction

First Known Use of RAPID

1765