burnout
UK[ˈbɜːnaʊt]US[ˈbɜːrnaʊt]
n
A state of physical or emotional exhaustion caused by prolonged stress or overwork.
n
The failure of a device or component due to excessive heat or prolonged use.
Morpheme Breakdown
burn
out
burn
out
Etymology
The word 'burnout' is a modern English compound formed from the verb 'burn' and the adverb 'out'. The literal image is of a fire that has consumed all its fuel and thus gone out. This vivid metaphor was first applied in the mid-20th century to aerospace engineering, describing the point when a rocket's fuel is completely exhausted. By the 1970s, psychologists adopted the term to describe a similar state of exhaustion in humans, where chronic stress depletes an individual's mental and emotional resources. The logic of the morphemes perfectly captures the progression from active, energetic 'burning' to a final, depleted state of being 'burned out'.
Analysis
Structure: burn + out
- burn: From Old English beornan (to be on fire) and bærnan (to kindle). In this compound, it functions as a verb root meaning to consume by fire.
- out: From Old English ūt (out, outside). In this compound, it functions as an adverbial particle indicating a state of being completely consumed, exhausted, or extinguished.
Examples
She took a leave of absence to recover from severe job burnout.
Engine burnout was caused by operating at maximum thrust for too long.
Widespread burnout among healthcare workers has become a critical issue.