unaccelerated

C2 Topic:Space, Position & Direction

US /ˌʌnəkˈsɛləreɪtɪd/ UK /ˌʌnəkˈseləreɪtɪd/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
having zero acceleration in a specified inertial frame; remaining at rest or moving with an unchanging velocity vector

In an inertial frame, an unaccelerated spacecraft follows a straight path at constant velocity.
2

adj
in relativity, having zero proper acceleration because no nongravitational force is felt, as for an ideal freely falling body

An astronaut in free fall is unaccelerated in the proper sense because an onboard accelerometer reads zero.
3

adj
not made to happen, develop, or proceed faster than its ordinary rate

The unaccelerated curing process took the full twenty-four hours.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · having zero acceleration in... inertialconstant-velocity

2 adj · in relativity, having zero... freely fallingforce-free

3 adj · not made to happen,... unhastenedunsped

Opposites

acceleratednoninertial

Word family

Related forms acceleration velocityinertial frameproper accelerationfree fall

Etymology

Formed from un- ("not") + accelerated, the past participle of accelerate. Accelerate comes from Latin accelerare ("to hasten"), from ad- + celer ("swift"). Physics sharpened the negative form: an unaccelerated motion has an unchanging velocity vector in an inertial frame, while general relativity distinguishes proper from coordinate acceleration.

Topics

Space, Position & Direction

External links

# unaccelerated

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌʌnəkˈsɛləreɪtɪd/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌʌnəkˈseləreɪtɪd/

## Meanings
1. having zero acceleration in a specified inertial frame; remaining at rest or moving with an unchanging velocity vector
2. in relativity, having zero proper acceleration because no nongravitational force is felt, as for an ideal freely falling body
3. not made to happen, develop, or proceed faster than its ordinary rate

## Examples
- In an inertial frame, an unaccelerated spacecraft follows a straight path at constant velocity.
- An astronaut in free fall is unaccelerated in the proper sense because an onboard accelerometer reads zero.
- The unaccelerated curing process took the full twenty-four hours.

## Synonyms
- inertial
- constant-velocity
- unhastened

## Antonyms
- accelerated
- noninertial

## Related Forms
- acceleration
- velocity
- inertial frame
- proper acceleration
- free fall

## Etymology
Formed from un- ("not") + accelerated, the past participle of accelerate. Accelerate comes from Latin accelerare ("to hasten"), from ad- + celer ("swift"). Physics sharpened the negative form: an unaccelerated motion has an unchanging velocity vector in an inertial frame, while general relativity distinguishes proper from coordinate acceleration.

## Topics
- Space, Position & Direction

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