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Accelerator: meaning, definitions and examples

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accelerator

 

[əkˈseləˌreɪtər ]

Definitions

Context #1 | Noun

technology

A device, typically a pedal, lever, or button, that controls the speed of a vehicle or machine.

Synonyms

gas, gas pedal, speed control, throttle.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
accelerator

Mainly used in British English to describe the pedal in a car that increases speed.

  • Press the accelerator gently to start moving
throttle

Often used to describe a mechanism that controls the flow of fuel or power to an engine, not just in cars but also in other machinery or vehicles like motorcycles and airplanes.

  • He twisted the throttle grip to accelerate the motorcycle
gas pedal

Common in American English to describe the pedal in a car that you press to go faster.

  • He pushed the gas pedal to the floor and the car sped off
gas

This term is widely used in American English to refer to the fuel that cars use.

  • We need to stop and get some gas before we run out
speed control

This term can refer to features in a car that help maintain a constant speed, often synonymous with 'cruise control'.

  • Engage the speed control to maintain a steady pace on the highway

Examples of usage

  • He pressed down on the accelerator to speed up the car.
  • The accelerator on the machine is used to increase the production rate.
Context #2 | Noun

physics

A subatomic particle that increases the velocity of a reaction.

Synonyms

collider, particle accelerator.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
accelerator

Used in general language to refer to something that increases speed or progress, often in technology or business.

  • The new software acts as an accelerator for our development process.
  • They joined a startup accelerator to help grow their company.
particle accelerator

A specialized term used in physics to describe a device that speeds up particles to high velocities, often in experimental research.

  • The particle accelerator was used in the experiment to observe subatomic particles.
  • Many discoveries in physics were made possible thanks to the particle accelerator.
collider

Specifically used in the context of physics and particle science to describe a machine designed to make particles collide at high speeds.

  • The Large Hadron Collider is one of the most famous particle colliders in the world.
  • Scientists use the collider to study particle interactions.

Examples of usage

  • The accelerator in the experiment was crucial for achieving the desired results.
  • The particle accelerator was used to study the behavior of atoms.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

  • The word 'accelerator' comes from the Latin root 'accelerare', which means 'to hasten' or 'to quicken'.
  • The first recorded use of 'accelerator' in English dates back to the early 19th century, originally referring to machinery that increased speed.
  • In the 20th century, the term became commonly associated with automobiles, referring specifically to the pedal that controls acceleration.

Science

  • In particle physics, an accelerator is a machine that speeds up charged particles to collide them at high energies for research.
  • The Large Hadron Collider, the world's largest particle accelerator, helped discover the Higgs boson in 2012, a fundamental particle in physics.
  • Medical accelerators are used in cancer treatment to precisely direct radiation therapy to tumors, showcasing the term's application beyond vehicles.

Technology

  • In computer science, an accelerator refers to hardware or software that enhances the performance of a computer by speeding up processing time.
  • Graphics processing units (GPUs) are often used as accelerators for rendering video and complex graphical tasks much faster than standard CPUs.
  • The rise of machine learning has led to the development of various accelerators specifically designed to process data for AI applications efficiently.

Cultural References

  • In popular culture, movies about racing often highlight the thrill of speed, with characters pressing the accelerator to win races.
  • Video games focused on car racing typically feature accelerators as crucial elements that determine players' success and strategy.
  • Songs and music often use 'accelerator' as a metaphor for speeding up life or getting pumped up for challenges.

Education

  • Educators refer to 'accelerators' in programs that speed up learning for gifted students, allowing them to advance faster than their peers.
  • Some universities have 'accelerator programs' that help startups grow quickly by providing resources and mentorship.
  • In language learning, an 'accelerated curriculum' involves quick-paced learning to achieve fluency in a shorter period.

Translations

Translations of the word "accelerator" in other languages:

🇵🇹 acelerador

🇮🇳 त्वरण यंत्र

🇩🇪 Beschleuniger

🇮🇩 percepatan

🇺🇦 прискорювач

🇵🇱 przyspieszacz

🇯🇵 アクセラレーター

🇫🇷 accélérateur

🇪🇸 acelerador

🇹🇷 ivmeliyor

🇰🇷 가속기

🇸🇦 مسرع

🇨🇿 zrychlovač

🇸🇰 urýchľovač

🇨🇳 加速器

🇸🇮 pospeševalnik

🇮🇸 hraðari

🇰🇿 жылдамдатқыш

🇬🇪 აჩქარებელი

🇦🇿 sürətləndirici

🇲🇽 acelerador

Word Frequency Rank

Ranked #12,157, this word falls into high-advanced vocabulary. It appears less frequently but is valuable for expressing precise meanings in specific contexts.