sonic

[son-ik]

adjective

1. of or relating to sound.

2. noting or pertaining to a speed equal to that of sound in air at the same height above sea level.

sonic

/ ˈsɒnɪk /

adjective

1. of, involving, or producing sound

2. having a speed about equal to that of sound in air: 331 metres per second (741 miles per hour) at 0°C

Other Word Forms

• multisonic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sonic¹

1920–25; < Latin son ( us ) sound ¹ + -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of sonic¹

C20: from Latin sonus sound

Example Sentences

I really like feel-good music that sonically reminds me of an older time.

From Los Angeles Times

The songs on Del Real’s first solo album — the title yet to be revealed — plumb the depths of silence and sonic expansion.

From Los Angeles Times

Decades later, it’s Deftones’ music and adventurous sonic spirit that keep the crowds coming back, anticipating the group’s next move.

From Los Angeles Times

Her presence in the genre, her Blackness and her artistry, challenged long-standing assumptions about who belongs in the visual and sonic mythology of the American heartland.

From Salon

A sonic boom occurs when an aircraft travels faster than the speed of sound, generating shockwaves that rapidly compress and decompress the air, producing an explosive noise.

From BBC

Related Words

• audiovisual 
• auditory 
• aural 
• neural 
• neurological 
• olfactory 
• sensual 
• tactile 
• visual