lead time

or lead-time

[ leed ]

noun

1. the period of time between the initial phase of a process and the emergence of results, as between the planning and completed manufacture of a product.

lead time

/ liːd /

noun

1. manufacturing the time between the design of a product and its production
2. commerce the time from the placing of an order to the delivery of the goods

Word History and Origins

Origin of lead time¹

An Americanism dating back to 1940–45

Example Sentences

So I said to FX that it was really important to get a lot of lead time, so that everyone could do what they needed to do.

From The Daily Beast

All puppies are natural anarchists, but with most breeds, you have a few months of lead time.

From The Daily Beast

Related Words

• arrangement
• construction
• education
• establishment
• formation
• groundwork
• measure
• plan
• precaution
• preparedness
• qualification
• rehearsal
• study
• training