rpm tells you how fast something is turning. It means revolutions per minute: how many full turns a thing makes in one minute. You see it on car engines (how hard the engine is working), on old record players (a long-play disc turns at 33 rpm; a single often at 45), and on fans, drills, and computer disks. A bigger number means faster turning. It is a small technical label, used on screens and in manuals, not a word you chat with over tea. People say the letters, are-pee-em, or they talk about revs for an engine. Though actually, rpm is not the same as how fast a car moves down the road. The car’s speed is in kilometres per hour; rpm is only how fast the engine itself is spinning.