noun

velocity

/vəˈlɒsɪti/ · say it: vuh·LOS·uh·tee

speed in a given direction

In Science & Nature

In more detail

1. (noun) the speed at which something moves in a particular direction

2. (noun) the rate at which something happens or changes

Examples

1. The velocity of the car increased as it drove down the highway.
2. The velocity of technological change in recent years has been remarkable.

How to use velocity

Velocity is used in scientific and technical contexts to emphasize both the speed and direction of motion, though in general usage it often means simply 'speed' or 'rate of change'. It is more formal than 'speed' and commonly appears in physics, meteorology, business, and formal writing describing rapid processes or movement.

Common phrases

high velocity
escape velocity
at great velocity
velocity of change
constant velocity

Synonyms

speed · pace · rate · momentum · swiftness

Word family

velocities (plural) · velocimetric (adjective) · velocimeter (noun)

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use velocity interchangeably with speed without recognizing that velocity technically includes directional information (a vector quantity), while speed does not.

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