TOP

Definition of butterfly effect noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

butterfly effect

noun
 
/ˈbʌtəflaɪ ɪfekt/
 
/ˈbʌtərflaɪ ɪfekt/
jump to other results
  1. the idea that a very small change in one part of a system can have large effects in other partsTopics Change, cause and effectc2
    Word Origin1980s: from the notion in chaos theory that a butterfly fluttering in Rio de Janeiro could change the weather in Chicago.
See butterfly effect in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
Check pronunciation: butterfly effect

Nearby words

trait
noun
 
 
From the Word list
Oxford 5000
B2
Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day