spillover
SPIL-oh-ver
/ˈspɪlˌoʊvər/
An unexpected or indirect consequence or effect that spreads from one activity, domain, or market into another.
Emphasizes the movement or overflow of effects across boundaries or sectors.
The story behind the word. Derived from the physical action of a liquid overflowing its container. The figurative economic sense emerged in mid-20th-century development economics to describe how regional investment flows over into neighboring sectors.
Word relationships
- repercussion: Repercussion carries a negative connotation of unintended backlash, while spillover can be positive or negative.
- containment: Containment keeps effects isolated within a single boundary.
Commonly confused with
- externality: Externality focuses on unpriced market impacts; spillover focuses on the physical or geographic diffusion of consequences.
Word family
- spill over (phrasal verb): To reach beyond original limits into neighboring areas.
Collocations
- spillover effect
- spillover benefit
- economic spillover
Example sentences
- "Investment in high-speed rail produced positive spillover effects for local restaurants and hotels." Regional development
- "Central bankers warned that economic instability in Europe could cause negative spillover in Asian markets." Financial stability
Memory hook
Imagine water SPILLING OVER a glass into the surrounding tray. Overflow into neighboring areas.
When not to use
Do not use for primary, directly intended effects within the original sector.
Fun facts
- Silicon Valley's housing crisis is a classic spillover effect: high tech wages pushed up real estate prices across entire neighboring counties.
Related words
Explore more words
diffusion, byproduct, contagion, consequence, interconnectedness, inadvertent
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