year-over-year
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Meaning
(of figures, rates, or comparisons) measured with reference to the same period in the previous year.
in a way that compares figures, rates, or results to those from the same period in the previous year.
Structure
Usage
The company reported year-over-year revenue growth of 15%.
Sales increased year-over-year for the fourth consecutive quarter.
We analyze the data on a year-over-year basis to eliminate seasonal variations.
Etymology
The compound phrase "year-over-year" is a modern financial and business term constructed from core Germanic vocabulary. Its first element, "year," descends from the Proto-Germanic jērą, which itself derives from the Proto-Indo-European root yēr-, meaning "year, season." The comparative preposition "over" originates from Proto-Germanic uberi, related to the PIE root upéri, meaning "over, above." The logic of the phrase is transparently comparative: it literally sets one year "over" or against another for direct comparison. This concrete spatial metaphor of placing one period atop another evolved into a standard abstract term for analyzing sequential annual performance, highlighting continuity and change across time.
Analysis
- year: From Old English 'gēar', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'jaar' and German 'Jahr'. Functions as a noun meaning a period of 365/366 days. - over: From Old English 'ofer', of Germanic origin; related to Dutch 'over' and German 'über'. Functions as a preposition indicating comparison or reference. - year: (Repeated) Same origin and function as the first morpheme.