tipping point

noun

Etymology

First use of the term appears c. 1959 in the New York Times.

Definitions

  1. The point at which a slow, reversible change becomes irreversible, often with dramatic…

    The point at which a slow, reversible change becomes irreversible, often with dramatic consequences.

  2. A point in time when a group rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely…

    A point in time when a group rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice.

  3. An irreversible change in the climate system.

    • Some researchers worry that rainforests will soon reach a tipping point — a point of no return in which the once-lush forests transition to arid regions.
    • Climate scientists have detected warning signs of the collapse of the Gulf Stream, one of the planet’s main potential tipping points.

The neighborhood

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for tipping point. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA