noun · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
US:/əkˈsɛl.əˌɹeɪ.tɚ/
US:/ækˈsɛl.əˌɹeɪ.tɚ/
US:/ɪkˈsɛl.əˌɹeɪ.tɚ/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AE0 K S EH1 L ER0 EY2 T ER0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
One who, or that which, accelerates.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The Second World War is said to have been a great accelerator for many scientific findings.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A device for causing acceleration.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A substance which speeds up chemical reactions.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
10
noun
Meaning 10
A light van to take mails between a post office and a railway station.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: historical
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
11
noun
Meaning 11
A mentoring program for startup companies.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: business
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
noun
Meaning 12
a valve that regulates the supply of fuel to the engine
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: throttle, throttle valve
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: valve
13
noun
Meaning 13
a scientific instrument that increases the kinetic energy of charged particles
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: particle accelerator, atom smasher
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: scientific instrument
Narrower terms: betatron, induction accelerator, charge-exchange accelerator, Cockcroft and Walton accelerator, Cockcroft-Walton accelerator, Cockcroft and Walton voltage multiplier, Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier, collider, cyclotron, linear accelerator, linac
14
noun
Meaning 14
a pedal that controls the throttle valve
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he stepped on the gas
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: accelerator pedal, gas pedal, gas, throttle, gun
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: pedal, treadle, foot pedal, foot lever
15
noun
Meaning 15
(chemistry) a substance that initiates or accelerates a chemical reaction without itself being affected
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: catalyst
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: activator
Narrower terms: biocatalyst, enzyme, platinum black
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2éd Proto-Italic *ad Proto-Italic *ad- Latin ad- Proto-Indo-European *kel-der. Latin celer Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin celerō Latin accelerō Latin accelerātuslbor. ▲ Latin accelerō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Latin accelerātiōder. English accelerationbf. English accelerate Proto-Indo-European *-tōr Proto-Italic *-tōr Latin -tor Latin -ātor Old French -eorbor. Middle English -our ▲ Latin -torlbor. English -or English accelerator * First attested in 1611. * (motor vehicle): First attested in 1900. * accelerate + -or
Across languages
Translations
129 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
مُسَرِّع
(musarriʕ)
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Armenian:
արագացուցիչ
(aragacʻucʻičʻ)
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Belarusian:
паскара́льнік
(paskarálʹnik)
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Bulgarian:
ускори́тел
(uskorítel)
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Catalan:
accelerador
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Danish:
accelerator
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Finnish:
kiihdyttäjä
— one who, or that which, accelerates
French:
accélérateur
— one who, or that which, accelerates
German:
Beschleuniger
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Macedonian:
забрзувач
(zabrzuvač)
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Malay:
pemecut
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Norwegian Bokmål:
akselerator
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Norwegian Nynorsk:
akselerator
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Persian:
شتابگر
(šetâbgar)
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Middle Persian:
𐭠𐭱𐭲𐭠𐭯𐭢𐭥
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Portuguese:
acelerador
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Romanian:
accelerator
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Romanian:
iuțitor
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Romanian:
repezitor
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Russian:
ускори́тель
(uskorítelʹ)
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Spanish:
acelerador
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Spanish:
accelerador
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Spanish:
accelerator
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Swedish:
accelerator
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Tagalog:
pandarasig
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Ukrainian:
приско́рювач
(pryskórjuvač)
— one who, or that which, accelerates
Arabic:
مُعَجِّل
(muʕajjil)
— device for causing acceleration
Armenian:
արագացուցիչ
(aragacʻucʻičʻ)
— device for causing acceleration
Belarusian:
паскара́льнік
(paskarálʹnik)
— device for causing acceleration
Bulgarian:
ускори́тел
(uskorítel)
— device for causing acceleration
Catalan:
accelerador
— device for causing acceleration
Chinese Mandarin:
推进器
(tuījìnqì)
— device for causing acceleration
Czech:
urychlovač
— device for causing acceleration
Danish:
accelerator
— device for causing acceleration
Dutch:
versneller
— device for causing acceleration
Esperanto:
akcelilo
— device for causing acceleration
Finnish:
kiihdytin
— device for causing acceleration
French:
accélérateur
— device for causing acceleration
German:
Beschleuniger
— device for causing acceleration
Hindi:
त्वरक
(tvarak)
— device for causing acceleration
Interlingua:
accelerator
— device for causing acceleration
Kazakh:
үдеткіш
(üdetkış)
— device for causing acceleration
Macedonian:
забрзувач
(zabrzuvač)
— device for causing acceleration
Malay:
pemecut
— device for causing acceleration
Norwegian Bokmål:
akselerator
— device for causing acceleration
Norwegian Nynorsk:
akselerator
— device for causing acceleration
Polish:
akcelerator
— device for causing acceleration
Portuguese:
acelerador
— device for causing acceleration
Romanian:
accelerator
— device for causing acceleration
Russian:
ускори́тель
(uskorítelʹ)
— device for causing acceleration
Slovak:
urýchľovač
— device for causing acceleration
Slovene:
pospeševalnik
— device for causing acceleration
Spanish:
acelerador
— device for causing acceleration
Spanish:
accelerador
— device for causing acceleration
Spanish:
accelerator
— device for causing acceleration
Swahili:
kichapuzi
— device for causing acceleration
Swedish:
accelerator
— device for causing acceleration
Tagalog:
pandarasig
— device for causing acceleration
Ukrainian:
приско́рювач
(pryskórjuvač)
— device for causing acceleration
Armenian:
կատալիզատոր
(katalizator)
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Bulgarian:
катализа́тор
(katalizátor)
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Chinese Mandarin:
催化剂
(cuīhuàjì)
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Danish:
katalysator
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Dutch:
katalysator
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Finnish:
katalyytti
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Finnish:
kiihdytin
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
German:
Beschleuniger
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
German:
Katalysator
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Indonesian:
katalis
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Indonesian:
katalisator
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Macedonian:
катализа́тор
(katalizátor)
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Malay:
pencepat
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Russian:
катализа́тор
(katalizátor)
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
Swedish:
accelerator
— substance which speeds up chemical reactions
