Pace

/peɪs/ noun

Definition

Pace is the speed at which someone or something moves or does something, or a single step when walking.

Etymology

From Old French *pas* and Latin *passus* meaning “step, stride.” The idea of “rate of movement” grew from counting steps over time.

Kelly Says

Your pace isn’t just physical; you have a thinking pace, a learning pace, and even a life pace. Changing pace—speeding up or slowing down on purpose—is one of the simplest ways to change how a task feels.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Expectations about work pace and physical speed have been gendered, with women often stereotyped as slower or less productive, especially in manual or technical fields, despite evidence to the contrary.

Inclusive Usage

Use ‘pace’ neutrally and avoid assuming different default paces or capacities for people based on gender.

Inclusive Alternatives

["speed","rate","tempo"]

Empowerment Note

When discussing productivity and pace, acknowledge how women have matched or exceeded male productivity despite additional unpaid labor burdens.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.