Downturns

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A period when economic activity decreases, causing business and financial performance to worsen
2. An interval characterized by reduced economic growth, often leading to lower profits and higher unemployment
3. A phase marked by falling economic indicators and overall financial downturn in markets or industries

Etymology: "Downturns" is the plural of "downturn," a compound formed from "down" and "turn." The noun is English through and through: its first element is the ordinary adverb "down," and "turn" carries a long lineage, passing through Old French "torner" and Latin "tornare," which mean to turn on a lathe or to round off, from Ancient Greek "tornos," a tool for drawing circles. Medieval English took "turn" from the Old French verb and it has been a core English word ever since. The compound itself is a plain combination rather than a coinage with a notable story. "Down" and "turn" were joined to describe a movement toward lower levels, and the sense of a decline in fortunes, business or activity grew naturally from the physical image of a curve pointing downward. The plural simply counts separate periods of such decline.

Synonyms: declines, recessions, slumps, drops, decreases

Antonyms: upturns, recoveries, increases, booms