rapidez
“rapidez” means “speed” in Spanish (physical movement or rate of action).
speed
Also: quickness, swiftness
📝 In Action
Ella corre con mucha rapidez.
A1She runs with great speed.
La rapidez de la respuesta me sorprendió.
B1The quickness of the answer surprised me.
En este trabajo, la rapidez es tan importante como la calidad.
B2In this job, speed is just as important as quality.
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: rapidez
Question 1 of 3
Which article is correct for 'rapidez'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin word 'rapidus' (meaning quick or tearing away) combined with the suffix '-ez' which turns an adjective into a noun representing a quality.
First recorded: 13th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'rapidez' the same as 'velocidad'?
Mostly yes. In daily conversation they are interchangeable. In physics, 'velocidad' involves direction while 'rapidez' is just the rate of motion, but you don't need to worry about that in casual Spanish!
Can I use 'rapidez' to describe a person?
You wouldn't say 'Eres rapidez'. You would say 'Tienes mucha rapidez' (You have a lot of speed) or 'Eres rápido' (You are fast).
Why does it end in -ez?
The '-ez' suffix is a common way in Spanish to turn an adjective (like 'rápido') into a noun representing that quality (like 'speed').