Engineering English
Synchronous Speed
Electrical Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: The rotational speed of the magnetic field in an AC motor or generator, determined by the supply frequency and number of poles. It is the speed at which the rotor would turn if it were perfectly locked to the field.
Example in context
“For a 4-pole motor on a 60 Hz supply, the synchronous speed is 1800 RPM.”
“60 Hz beslemedeki 4 kutuplu bir motor için senkron hız 1800 RPM'dir.”
Where engineers use it
Critical for selecting motor pole count and evaluating slip in induction machines. Engineers compute synchronous speed to determine starting methods and control variable frequency drives.
Synonyms: field speed, magnetic field speed
Practice: can you use “Synchronous Speed” at work?
You are designing a conveyor system driven by an induction motor; you must calculate the synchronous speed to select the appropriate number of poles for the required belt speed.
Show a model answer
“Calculate the synchronous speed of a 6-pole motor operating on a 50 Hz system.”
“Synchronous Speed” in 21 languages
| English | Synchronous Speed |
|---|---|
| Turkish | senkron hız |
| French | vitesse synchrone |
| German | Synchrondrehzahl |
| Spanish | velocidad sincrónica |
| Chinese | 同步转速 |
| Arabic | السرعة التزامنية |
| Portuguese | velocidade síncrona |
| Russian | синхронная скорость |
| Japanese | 同期速度 |
| Italian | velocità sincrona |
| Vietnamese | tốc độ đồng bộ |
| Hindi | तुल्यकालिक गति |
| Thai | ความเร็วซิงโครนัส |
| Indonesian | kecepatan sinkron |
| Korean | 동기 속도 |
| Bengali | সিনক্রোনাস গতি |
| Dutch | synchrone snelheid |
| Swedish | synkron hastighet |
| Finnish | synkroninopeus |
| Ukrainian | синхронна швидкість |
Frequently asked questions
What does Synchronous Speed mean in engineering?
The rotational speed of the magnetic field in an AC motor or generator, determined by the supply frequency and number of poles. It is the speed at which the rotor would turn if it were perfectly locked to the field. In Electrical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Synchronous Speed?
Synchronous Speed is pronounced /ˈsɪŋ.krə.nəs spiːd/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Synchronous Speed used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “For a 4-pole motor on a 60 Hz supply, the synchronous speed is 1800 RPM.”
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