Definition of the word accelerate

The word "accelerate" comes from the Latin "accelerare," which means "to quicken" or "to hasten." This Latin term is a combination of "ad" (to) and "celerare" (to hasten), which is itself derived from "celer" (swift). In the 15th century, the Latin "accelerare" was borrowed into Middle English as "acceleren," and eventually evolved into the modern English word "accelerate." Initially, the word meant "to make something happen more quickly" or "to hasten," but its meaning has since expanded to include "to increase the speed or rate of something," as in accelerating a car or accelerating a process. Today, "accelerate" is used in various contexts, including science, technology, and everyday conversation, to refer to the act of increasing the speed or rate of something to achieve a desired outcome or goal.