speed limit

American  

noun

1. the maximum speed at which a vehicle is legally permitted to travel, as within a specific area, on a certain road, or under given conditions.

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speed limit British  

noun

1. the maximum permitted speed at which a vehicle may travel on certain roads

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Etymology

Origin of speed limit

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

The limited inflow of new workers means the economy’s speed limit is lower, she said, and the risk of a miscalculation—holding interest rates either too low or too high—is greater.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

Once the cameras are operational, drivers will have a 60-day grace period before they’re fined for going 11 mph or more over the posted speed limit.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026

Although the current measurements are capped at 140 picoseconds, the material's true speed limit may be even shorter.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

While neither Fedorov nor Musk elaborated on what the response had been, the defence ministry's official website ArmiyaInform reported that SpaceX had introduced a speed limit of 75kph on Starlink terminals moving over Ukraine.

From BBC • Feb. 2, 2026

The street they strolled had sparse, country-lazy traffic that never exceeded the speed limit.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles