hypersonic

adjective

hy·​per·​son·​ic ˌhī-pər-ˈsä-nik 

1

: of or relating to speed five or more times that of sound in air compare sonic

2

: moving, capable of moving, or utilizing air currents that move at hypersonic speed

hypersonic wind tunnel

hypersonically

ˌhī-pər-ˈsä-ni-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of hypersonic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Germany has awarded Polaris Spaceplanes a contract to develop and flight test a two-stage reusable hypersonic test vehicle that could double up as a spaceplane. —Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 5 Feb. 2026

Payloads included two satellites for the Missile Defense Agency to track hypersonic missiles and four more satellites for the Tranche 0 constellation for the Space Development Agency. —Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Jan. 2026

Among the weapons Russia has used is the nuclear-capable hypersonic Oreshnik missile. —Reuters, NBC news, 28 Jan. 2026

These launches represent the first time North Korea fired weapons since testing hypersonic missiles in early January, the AP noted. —Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1946, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for hypersonic

• anharmonic
• anionic
• avionic
• catatonic
• cationic
• chorionic
• cosmogonic
• diachronic
• diatonic
• electronic
• embryonic
• excitonic