decoupling
|de-cou-pling|
/diːˈkʌplɪŋ/
(decouple)
separate
Etymology
'decouple' originates from Latin prefix 'de-' added to English 'couple' (which itself comes from Old French and Latin). Here 'de-' meant 'remove, reverse' and 'couple' came via Old French from Latin.
'couple' derived from Latin 'copula' (meaning 'a bond, link') via Old French; the English verb 'decouple' is a modern formation (de- + couple) used from the 19th–20th century and 'decoupling' is the noun/gerund form that followed.
Initially built literally as 'remove a coupling' (physically or mechanically), its usage broadened over time to mean 'reduce interdependence' in technical, economic, and abstract contexts.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the action or process of separating two or more things that were previously connected or interdependent.
The decoupling of the production lines improved maintenance flexibility.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
in economics and finance: a reduction or loss of correlation between two markets, economies, or variables that previously moved together.
Analysts discussed the decoupling between emerging markets and developed markets in recent years.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 3
in engineering and software design: reducing dependencies (coupling) between components so they can operate or be developed independently.
Decoupling the modules allowed the team to deploy updates without affecting the whole system.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/09/04 07:40