point of inflection

American  

noun

Mathematics.

1. inflection point.

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point of inflection British  

noun

1. maths a stationary point on a curve at which the tangent is horizontal or vertical and where tangents on either side have the same sign

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Etymology

Origin of point of inflection

First recorded in 1735–45

Example Sentences

“We’re at another point of inflection of historical change, a very interesting one,” Cal Chancellor Carol Christ said.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2023

For me, seeing that, look, we are at that point of inflection, it’s one of the most exciting moments.

From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2023

Lula’s return to politics was seen as a much-needed point of inflection.

From Washington Post • Oct. 3, 2022

It starts out concave up and then changes to concave down beyond a certain point, called a point of inflection.

From Textbooks • Sep. 23, 2020

By al-Husseini's calculations, approximately 116 billion barrels of oil have been produced by Saudi Arabia, meaning only 64 billion barrels remain before reaching this crucial point of inflection.

From The Guardian • Feb. 8, 2011