transonic

adjective tran·son·ic \ tran(t)s-ˈsä-nik , tran-ˈsä- \

variants: or less commonly transsonic

Definition of transonic

1 : being or relating to speeds near that of sound in air or about 741 miles (1185 kilometers) per hour at sea level and especially to speeds slightly below the speed of sound at which the speed of airflow varies from subsonic to supersonic at different points along the surface of a body in motion relative to the surrounding air

2 : moving, capable of moving, or utilizing air currents moving at a transonic speed

Recent Examples of transonic from the Web

Wings can be designed so that transonic airflow remains smooth at certain speeds without generating shock waves.

— kenneth chang, New York Times, "Cathleen Morawetz, Mathematician With Real-World Impact, Dies at 94," 11 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'transonic.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.