tipping point
nounEtymology First use of the term appears c. 1959 in the New York Times.
1
Mathematics, Sciences Broadly, Figuratively The point at which a slow, reversible change becomes irreversible, often with dramatic consequences.
Catastrophe theory
2
Human sciences, Sciences, Social science, Sociology A point in time when a group rapidly and dramatically changes its behavior by widely adopting a previously rare practice.
3
Human sciences, Sciences, Social science, Sociology The point in time at which some new technology becomes mainstream.
4
Climatology, Natural sciences An irreversible change in the climate system.
- It is a scenario climate scientists have feared since first identifying "tipping points" - delicate thresholds where a slight rise in the Earth's temperature can cause a dramatic change in the environment that itself triggers a far greater increase in global temperatures.2005 August 11, Ian Sample, “Warming hits 'tipping point'”, in The Guardian:
- 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.2021 June 22, Sam Romano, “Rainforests are under siege. Here’s what you should know.”, in CNN:
1 more example
- Climate scientists have detected warning signs of the collapse of the Gulf Stream, one of the planet’s main potential tipping points.2021 August 5, Damian Carrington, “Climate crisis: Scientists spot warning signs of Gulf Stream collapse”, in The Guardian:
- Derived terms
- tipping-point state
- Related terms
- catastrophe theory, critical point, watershed moment, turning point