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paradigm shift

American  
[par-uh-dahym shift] / ˈpær ə daɪm ˌʃɪft /

noun

  1. a dramatic change in the paradigm of a scientific community, or a change from one scientific paradigm to another.

  2. a significant change in the paradigm of any discipline or group.

    Putting skilled, tenured teachers in failing schools would cause a paradigm shift in teaching and education.
paradigm shift British  

noun

  1. a radical change in underlying beliefs or theory

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of paradigm shift

First recorded in 1970–75

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.