burnout
|burn/out|
🇺🇸
/ˈbɜrnˌaʊt/
🇬🇧
/ˈbɜːn.aʊt/
exhaustion from stress
Etymology
'burnout' originates from the English words 'burn' and 'out', where 'burn' meant 'to consume by fire' and 'out' indicated 'completely'.
'burn' and 'out' combined in the 20th century to form 'burnout', initially used to describe the failure of electrical devices.
Initially, it meant 'failure due to overheating', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'exhaustion due to stress or overwork'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress or overwork.
After working 60-hour weeks for months, she experienced burnout.
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Noun 2
the failure of an electrical device or component through overheating.
The burnout of the circuit was caused by a power surge.
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Last updated: 2025/03/06 05:33