output
OWT-poot
/ˈaʊtpʊt/
The amount of something produced by a person, machine, or industry.
Focuses on the final quantity or result of a process.
The story behind the word. A straightforward Germanic compound. It literally describes what is 'put out' by a system. It gained prominence during the Industrial Revolution to measure factory efficiency.
Word relationships
- yield: Yield is often used in agriculture or finance (investment returns).
- production: Production is the process; output is the measured result of that process.
- input: The resources or effort put into a system.
Commonly confused with
- outcome: Outcome is the qualitative result (success/failure); output is the quantitative result (number of units).
Collocations
- economic output
- industrial output
- total output
- output level
Example sentences
- "Despite the labor shortage, the factory managed to increase its monthly output by 15% through better machine calibration." Economic report on factory efficiency.
Memory hook
What you 'put out' at the end of the day. Output = Out of the factory.
When not to use
Don't use for 'effort' (input); use only for the 'result'.
Fun facts
- In computing, 'output' refers to any data sent from a computer to a device like a screen or printer.
Related words
Explore more words
yield, productivity, throughput, outcome, efficient, efficiency
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