adjective, -er, -est, noun | 1. | occurring within a short time; happening speedily: rapid growth. |
| 2. | moving or acting with great speed; swift: a rapid worker. |
| 3. | characterized by speed: rapid motion. |
| 4. | Usually, rapids. a part of a river where the current runs very swiftly. |
rap·id (rāp'ĭd) adj. rap·id·er, rap·id·est Moving, acting, or occurring with great speed. See Synonyms at fast1. n. An extremely fast-moving part of a river, caused by a steep descent in the riverbed. Often used in the plural. [Latin rapidus, from rapere, to seize; see rep- in Indo-European roots.] ra·pid'i·ty (rə-pĭd'ĭ-tē), rap'id·ness (rāp'ĭd-něs) n., rap'id·ly adv. |