downtime
/ˈdaʊnˌtaɪm/
noun
Origin
English
down + time — Period of inactivity
Overview
Meaning Now
- Time during which a machine, system, or process is non-operational or unavailable.
- A period of leisure or inactivity, especially as a means of relaxation.
Language path
Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
downtime
Earliest period
mid-20th century
Journey
The term emerged in the post-WWII industrial era to track efficiency in factories, specifically referring to machines undergoing maintenance or repair. Its meaning later migrated into the digital age to describe network outages and, eventually, into colloquial English to describe intentional personal breaks.
Evolution
- Old English
dūne / tīma
“downward / period”
Roots are Germanic.
- 1950s
downtime
“Time a machine is not working”
First recorded in industrial engineering contexts.
- 1980s-present
downtime
“General sense of leisure or system failure”
Expanded from industrial usage to computers and personal life.
Connections
Word parts
down
root
in a lower state
time
root
duration
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Related to downtime
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.