BharatNotes Supersonic
adjective (also used attributively); occasionally nounUsage in a UPSC answer
India's induction of supersonic cruise missiles such as the BrahMos has materially sharpened its conventional deterrence, compressing an adversary's reaction window and recalibrating the strategic balance along contested frontiers.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
supersonic (adj/n), supersonically (adv), supersonics (n), supersound (n, rare)
Root
Latin super- = above + sonus = sound + -ic = adjectival suffix; first recorded 1919
Etymology
From Latin super- ("above") + sonus ("sound") + -ic; first recorded in 1919, originally meaning "relating to sound waves beyond human hearing," but by 1934 it described speeds exceeding the speed of sound, with ultrasonic taking the earlier meaning.
Memory Hook
Break it as SUPER + SONIC: "super" (above/beyond) the "sonic" (sound) barrier — go beyond the speed of sound, like a fighter jet bursting past Mach 1.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
Faster than the speed of sound, which is Mach 1 and around 343 metres per second at sea level, though it falls with temperature and therefore with altitude, which is why a Mach number is a ratio rather than a fixed speed. The regimes should be kept distinct: subsonic below about Mach 0.8, transonic around Mach 1 where airflow over parts of the vehicle is already supersonic and drag rises sharply, supersonic from roughly Mach 1.2 to 5, and hypersonic above Mach 5, where aerodynamic heating and the chemical dissociation of air change the problem qualitatively rather than merely in degree. That is precisely why hypersonic flight is not simply faster supersonic flight and needs different propulsion, the scramjet burning fuel in an airflow that remains supersonic through the engine. For India the relevant system is the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, whose speed compresses the defender's reaction time and improves penetration.
Don’t Confuse It With
Subsonic, transonic, supersonic and hypersonic denote speed regimes, and hypersonic above Mach 5 differs qualitatively because heating and air chemistry come to dominate. A cruise missile is powered throughout and flies within the atmosphere, whereas a ballistic missile is powered only briefly and then coasts. A ramjet requires supersonic forward speed to compress incoming air, while a scramjet burns fuel in air still travelling supersonically, which is what sustained hypersonic flight demands. Mach number is a ratio to the local speed of sound, which itself varies with temperature.
Hindi Meaning
पराध्वनिक (parādhvanik) for supersonic; अतिध्वनिक (atidhvanik) for hypersonic.
Common Questions
- Why is hypersonic flight different from merely faster supersonic flight?
- Above about Mach 5 aerodynamic heating and the chemical dissociation of air dominate, so materials and propulsion must change in kind, which is why scramjets are needed rather than conventional engines.
- How does a cruise missile differ from a ballistic missile?
- A cruise missile is powered for its whole flight and stays within the atmosphere, while a ballistic missile is powered only during an initial boost and then follows an unpowered trajectory.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Prelims 2025 — Defence Technology
- Prelims 2023 — Defence Technology
- Prelims 2017 — Defence Technology
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Supersonic” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
Tip: press Alt+S to hear pronunciation
