tipping point
a point at which a big change will happen
TRANSLATION
tipping point = Wendepunkt, der Umschlagpunkt --- GOOGLE INDEX tipping point: approximately 2,500,000 Google hits
STATISTICS
IN THE PRESS
Asia's Military Balance at a TIPPING POINT
(Wall Street Journal)
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Barack Obama cannot afford to ignore the global environment, which is rapidly reaching a TIPPING POINT.
(BBC News)
(Wall Street Journal)
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Barack Obama cannot afford to ignore the global environment, which is rapidly reaching a TIPPING POINT.
(BBC News)
Did you
know?
tipping point
noun phrase
- the point at which the build-up of minor incidents leads to a dramatic change in a situation
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DID YOU KNOW?
The term "tipping point" was popularised by Malcolm Gladwell in his book "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference." Gladwell defines the expression in sociological terms and attempts to explain the reasons behind everyday sociological changes. One of his most famous examples was the resurgence in popularity of Hush Puppy shoes during the 1990s.
Tipping point is applied in other contexts as well. In the field of epidemiology for instance, which deals with the causes of disease in populations, the concept is defined as small changes that have little or no effect on a system until a critical mass is reached. Then a further small change "tips" the system and a large effect is observed. This could be an ordinary flu virus that becomes an epidemic at some point (the tipping point).
In computing, tipping point is described as the point in time in which a technology, procedure, service or philosophy has reached critical mass and becomes mainstream. The term is also widely used to explain the point in the evolution of the earth's climate that leads to irreversible change.
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SYNONYMS
turning point, boiling point, defining moment, zero hour, pivotal moment, turn of the tide, point of no return, critical mass
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SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
"Flat screen televisions must have reached the tipping point. It seems everyone has one these days."
noun phrase
- the point at which the build-up of minor incidents leads to a dramatic change in a situation
---
DID YOU KNOW?
The term "tipping point" was popularised by Malcolm Gladwell in his book "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference." Gladwell defines the expression in sociological terms and attempts to explain the reasons behind everyday sociological changes. One of his most famous examples was the resurgence in popularity of Hush Puppy shoes during the 1990s.
Tipping point is applied in other contexts as well. In the field of epidemiology for instance, which deals with the causes of disease in populations, the concept is defined as small changes that have little or no effect on a system until a critical mass is reached. Then a further small change "tips" the system and a large effect is observed. This could be an ordinary flu virus that becomes an epidemic at some point (the tipping point).
In computing, tipping point is described as the point in time in which a technology, procedure, service or philosophy has reached critical mass and becomes mainstream. The term is also widely used to explain the point in the evolution of the earth's climate that leads to irreversible change.
---
SYNONYMS
turning point, boiling point, defining moment, zero hour, pivotal moment, turn of the tide, point of no return, critical mass
---
SMUGGLE OWAD INTO TODAY'S CONVERSATION:
"Flat screen televisions must have reached the tipping point. It seems everyone has one these days."
