Rate vs. Speed — What's the Difference?

A charge or payment calculated in relation to a particular sum or quantity

The swiftness of a course of action.

To set a rate for (goods to be shipped).

In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as v) of an object is the magnitude of the rate of change of its position with time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quantity. The average speed of an object in an interval of time is the distance travelled by the object divided by the duration of the interval; the instantaneous speed is the limit of the average speed as the duration of the time interval approaches zero.

A measure of a change in quantity.

The rate at which someone or something moves or operates or is able to move or operate

A fixed price paid or charged for something.

Each of the possible gear ratios of a bicycle.

The regular pace of something.

The light-gathering power or f-number of a camera lens.

A quantity measured with respect to another measured quantity

An amphetamine drug, especially methamphetamine.

A measure of a part with respect to a whole; a proportion

Success; prosperity

The cost per unit of a commodity or service

Move quickly

Level of quality.

Make prosperous or successful

Often rates Chiefly British A locally assessed property tax.

Take or be under the influence of an amphetamine drug

To place in a particular class, rank, or grade

Distance traveled divided by the time of travel.

To specify the performance limits of, especially according to a standard scale

The limit of this quotient as the time of travel becomes vanishingly small; the first derivative of distance with respect to time.

To regard or consider as having a certain value

The magnitude of a velocity.

Chiefly British To value for purposes of taxation.

Swiftness of action

(Informal) To merit or deserve

The act of moving rapidly

To be ranked in a particular class

The state of being in rapid motion; rapidity

(Informal) To have status, importance, or influence

A transmission gear or set of gears in a motor vehicle

To berate.

A numerical expression of the sensitivity of a photographic film, plate, or paper to light.

To express reproof.

The capacity of a lens to accumulate light at an appropriate aperture.

(obsolete) The worth of something; value.

The length of time required or permitted for a camera shutter to open and admit light.

The proportional relationship between one amount, value etc. and another.

(Slang) A stimulant drug, especially amphetamine or methamphetamine.

Speed.

(Slang) One that suits or appeals to a person's inclinations, skills, or character

The relative speed of change or progress.

(Archaic) Prosperity; luck.

The price of (an individual) thing; cost.

To go, move, or proceed quickly

A set price or charge for all examples of a given case, commodity, service etc.

To drive at a speed exceeding a legal limit

A wage calculated in relation to a unit of time.

To pass quickly

Any of various taxes, especially those levied by a local authority.

To move, work, or happen at a faster rate; accelerate

(nautical) A class into which ships were assigned based on condition, size etc.; by extension, rank.

(Slang) To be under the influence of a stimulant drug.

(obsolete) Established portion or measure; fixed allowance; ration.

To prove successful; prosper.

(obsolete) Order; arrangement.

To get along in a specified manner; fare.

(obsolete) Ratification; approval.

To cause to move or proceed quickly; hasten

(horology) The gain or loss of a timepiece in a unit of time.

To increase the speed or rate of; accelerate. Often used with up

(transitive) To assign or be assigned a particular rank or level.

To further, promote, or expedite (a legal action, for example).

(transitive) To evaluate or estimate the value of.

(Archaic) To help to succeed or prosper; aid.

(transitive) To consider or regard.

The state of moving quickly or the capacity for rapid motion.

(transitive) To deserve; to be worth.

The rate of motion or action, specifically the magnitude of the velocity; the rate distance is traversed in a given time.

(transitive) To determine the limits of safe functioning for a machine or electrical device.

(photography) The sensitivity to light of film, plates or sensor.

To evaluate a property's value for the purposes of local taxation.

(photography) The duration of exposure, the time during which a camera shutter is open (shutter speed).

To like; to think highly of.

(photography) The largest size of the lens opening at which a lens can be used.

(intransitive) To have position (in a certain class).

(photography) The ratio of the focal length to the diameter of a photographic objective.

(intransitive) To have value or standing.

Amphetamine or any amphetamine-based drug (especially methamphetamine) used as a stimulant, especially illegally.

(transitive) To ratify.

(archaic) Luck, success, prosperity.

To ascertain the exact rate of the gain or loss of (a chronometer) as compared with true time.

(slang) Personal preference.

(transitive) To berate, scold.

A third-order measure of derivative price sensitivity, expressed as the rate of change of gamma with respect to changes in the underlying asset price.

To chide with vehemence; to scold; to censure violently; to berate.

(film) Called by the soundman when the recording equipment has reached running speed and is ready to go.

To set a certain estimate on; to value at a certain price or degree.

To succeed; to prosper, be lucky.

To assess for the payment of a rate or tax.

To help someone, to give them fortune; to aid or favour.

To settle the relative scale, rank, position, amount, value, or quality of; as, to rate a ship; to rate a seaman; to rate a pension.

(intransitive) To go fast.

To ratify.

(intransitive) To exceed the speed limit.

To be set or considered in a class; to have rank; as, the ship rates as a ship of the line.

(transitive) To increase the rate at which something occurs.

To make an estimate.

To be under the influence of stimulant drugs, especially amphetamines.

Established portion or measure; fixed allowance.

(obsolete) To be expedient.

That which is established as a measure or criterion; degree; standard; rank; proportion; ratio; as, a slow rate of movement; rate of interest is the ratio of the interest to the principal, per annum.

(archaic) To hurry to destruction; to put an end to; to ruin.

Valuation; price fixed with relation to a standard; cost; charge; as, high or low rates of transportation.

(archaic) To wish success or good fortune to, in any undertaking, especially in setting out upon a journey.

A tax or sum assessed by authority on property for public use, according to its income or value; esp., in England, a local tax; as, parish rates; town rates.

To cause to make haste; to dispatch with celerity; to drive at full speed; hence, to hasten; to hurry.

Order; arrangement.

To hasten to a conclusion; to expedite.

Ratification; approval.

Prosperity in an undertaking; favorable issue; success.

The gain or loss of a timepiece in a unit of time; as, daily rate; hourly rate; etc.

The act or state of moving swiftly; swiftness; velocity; rapidly; rate of motion; dispatch; as, the speed a horse or a vessel.

The order or class to which a war vessel belongs, determined according to its size, armament, etc.; as, first rate, second rate, etc.

One who, or that which, causes or promotes speed or success.

Amount of a charge or payment relative to some basis;

To go; to fare.

A magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit;

To experience in going; to have any condition, good or ill; to fare.

The relative speed of progress or change;

To fare well; to have success; to prosper.

Assign a rank or rating to;

To make haste; to move with celerity.

Be worthy of or have a certain rating;

To be expedient.

Estimate the value of;

To cause to be successful, or to prosper; hence, to aid; to favor.

The speed at which something happens over a particular period.

To cause to make haste; to dispatch with celerity; to drive at full speed; hence, to hasten; to hurry.

A measure expressing a relation between two quantities.

To hasten to a conclusion; to expedite.

To hurry to destruction; to put an end to; to ruin; to undo.

To wish success or god fortune to, in any undertaking, especially in setting out upon a journey.

Distance travelled per unit time

A rate (usually rapid) at which something happens;

Changing location rapidly

The ratio of the focal length to the diameter of a (camera) lens system

A central nervous system stimulant that increases energy and decreases appetite; used to treat narcolepsy and some forms of depression

Step on it;

Move faster;

Travel at an excessive or illegal velocity;

Move very fast;

Cause to move faster;

The rate at which someone or something moves.

The rate at which something operates or progresses.

Rapid action or movement.

The ability to move quickly.

While Speed always involves time, Rate might not. It just involves two comparative quantities.

Yes, terms like interest rate and exchange rate are common financial applications.

In terms like rate of reaction or rate of energy transfer.

Primarily, but it can also refer to the efficiency of an operation, like data transfer speed.

Not exactly. Speed is scalar (magnitude only), while velocity is vector (magnitude and direction).

Rate measures a change concerning another quantity, while Speed measures distance over time.

Yes, like the growth rate of an investment or population.

Often, but not always. For instance, a "failure rate" might be expressed as a percentage.

Typically in miles per hour (mph) or kilometers per hour (km/h).

Yes, like in data transfer speed or the speed of a machine's operation.