What does accelerator mean?
An accelerator is any device, agent, or force that makes something move, happen, or develop faster. Its most familiar sense is automotive: the pedal a driver presses to increase engine power and speed, known in North America as the gas pedal. In science, an accelerator is a large machine — such as those at CERN — that propels charged particles to extremely high speeds so physicists can probe the structure of matter. The word also extends to chemistry, where an accelerator is a substance that hastens a reaction, and to business, where an accelerator is a program that helps startups grow rapidly through funding and mentorship. Across all these senses, the common thread is acceleration: increasing velocity or progress. The term derives from the Latin accelerare, meaning 'to hasten', from ad- ('toward') and celer ('swift'). Whether literal or figurative, accelerator consistently connotes speed, momentum, and forward drive.
nounA device or mechanism that increases speed, especially the pedal in a vehicle that controls engine power; also a machine that accelerates charged particles to high velocities for scientific research.
- The pedal or control in a vehicle that regulates speed by increasing engine power.
- A machine, especially in physics, that speeds up charged particles to high energies.
- A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction.
- A person or thing that causes faster progress or development, such as a business accelerator program.
"She pressed the accelerator and the car surged forward onto the motorway."
"He eased his foot off the accelerator as the car approached the sharp bend."
"Physicists at CERN use enormous particle accelerators to study the fundamental building blocks of matter."
Standard regular plural; used both for multiple devices (pedals, particle machines) and for programs or agents of acceleration.
"Modern laboratories operate several particle accelerators simultaneously."
The word accelerator can describe anything from the pedal under your foot to a machine that smashes particles at nearly the speed of light — and even a startup program that fast-tracks new companies.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of accelerator
Accelerator comes from the Latin verb accelerare, meaning 'to hasten or quicken', formed from ad- ('toward') plus celer ('swift'), the same root that gives us celerity. The noun entered English in the early modern period alongside the verb accelerate, which was adopted from Latin in the 16th century. Its automotive sense arose with the invention of the motor car in the late 19th century, while the particle-accelerator sense emerged with 20th-century nuclear physics.
How accelerator is actually used
In everyday speech, especially American English, the accelerator is often called the 'gas pedal' or simply 'the gas'; British speakers more often say 'accelerator'. In figurative uses such as 'startup accelerator', the word carries positive connotations of speed and momentum.
Easily confused with accelerator
An accelerant is a substance (such as gasoline) used to speed up a fire or chemical process, whereas an accelerator is a device, person, or program that speeds something up.