English Lexicon

Turning point

/ˈtɜːr.nɪŋ pɔɪnt/
nounCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #2450 frequency
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Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial results.

    "The signing of the peace treaty was a turning point in the war."
  2. 2

    A moment in a narrative or story where the direction changes significantly.

    "In the novel, the protagonist's discovery of the truth serves as a turning point in the plot."

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Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the verb 'turn' (from Old English 'tyrnan', ultimately from Latin 'tornare') and 'point' (from Latin 'punctum', meaning a prick or mark). Historically used in navigation and mechanics to denote an axis of rotation, the phrase evolved metaphorically in the late 18th and 19th centuries to describe critical junctures in history, narratives, and personal lives.

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