acceleration Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun an increase in rate of change
    • modern science caused an acceleration of cultural change
  2. noun the act of accelerating; increasing the speed
    quickening; speedup.
  3. noun (physics) a rate of increase of velocity

WordNet

Ac*cel`er*a"tion noun
Etymology
L. acceleratio: cf. F. accélération.
Definitions
  1. The act of accelerating, or the state of being accelerated; increase of motion or action; as, a falling body moves toward the earth with an acceleration of velocity; -- opposed to retardation.
    A period of social improvement, or of intellectual advancement, contains within itself a principle of acceleration. I. Taylor.

Webster 1913