Phillips curve
Britishnoun
Etymology
Origin of Phillips curve
C20: named after A. W. H. Phillips (1914–75), New Zealand economist who formulated the theory
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Similarities between his monetary philosophies on issues like forward guidance, rules-based policymaking, the Phillips curve, and productivity growth driven by high-tech innovation and Warsh’s are now emerging.
From Barron's ● Jun. 26, 2026
Conventional forecasts relied on something known as the Phillips curve, which predicts that wages and prices accelerate when the unemployment rate falls below some natural, sustainable level that can’t be directly observed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
The Phillips curve also depends on an accurate reading of unemployment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 30, 2022
Simply stated, one of the main tenets of the Phillips curve is that levels of unemployment influence the rate of wage increases.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 12, 2022
To ensure a decent stardard of living, required gross income then rose and exceeded productivity in the low end of the market, generating unemployment, while shifting the Phillips curve and reducing its sensitivity.
From Definition & Reality in the General Theory of Political Economy by Colignatus, Thomas
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.