velocity

Noun

velocity (countable and uncountable, plural velocities)

1. A vector quantity that denotes the rate of change of position with respect to time, combining speed with a directional component.
   • A car racing in a circle may retain the same speed while continually changing its velocity.
   • Usually, however, confluence is associated with an increase in air velocity and diffluence with a decrease. In the intermediate case, confluence is balanced by an increase in wind velocity and diffluence by a decrease in velocity.2004, Roger Barry, Richard Chorley, Roger G. Barry, Atmosphere, Weather and Climate, page 118
2. A rapidity of motion.
   • The train was travelling at a slower velocity than usual.
   • Over the winter-solid Roads, goes a great seething,— of mounted younger Gentlemen riding together by the dozens upon rented horses, Express Messengers in love with pure Velocity, Disgruntl'd Suitors with Pistols stuff'd in their Spatterdashes, seal'd Waggons not even a western Black-Boy would think...1997, Thomas Pynchon, chapter 39, in Mason & Dixon, 1st US edition, New York: Henry Holt and Company, →ISBN, part Two: America, page 395

   Synonyms:

   speed

3. The rate of occurrence.
4. The number of times that an average unit of currency is spent during a specific period of time.
5. (music hardware and software) The value corresponding to how hard a key is struck on a MIDI controller or keyboard.