outcome
UK[ˈaʊtkʌm]US[ˈaʊtˌkʌm]
n
the result or effect of an action, situation, or event
Morpheme Breakdown
out
come
out
come
Etymology
the word 'outcome' is a transparent compound formed from two native old english elements: 'ūt' (out) and 'cuman' (to come). it follows a common germanic pattern of creating nouns from verb phrases, literally meaning 'that which comes out'. the conceptual logic is spatial and directional, where an action or process is seen as a container, and its final product 'comes out' or emerges from it. this concrete imagery of emergence and finality evolved seamlessly into the modern abstract sense of a final result or consequence of any process.
Analysis
Structure: out + come
out (old english): a preposition/adverb meaning 'outward, away, forth'.
come (old english): a verb meaning 'to move toward, to arrive'.
Examples
the outcome of the election was a complete surprise.
we are still waiting to hear the outcome of the medical tests.
a positive attitude can influence the outcome of a difficult situation.