turnover

[ turn-oh-ver ]

noun

1. an act or result of turning over; upset.
2. change or movement of people, as tenants or customers, in, out, or through a place:

   The restaurant did a lively business and had a rapid turnover.

3. the aggregate of worker replacements in a given period in a given business or industry.
4. the ratio of the labor turnover to the average number of employees in a given period.
5. the total amount of business done in a given time.
6. the rate at which items are sold, especially with reference to the depletion of stock and replacement of inventory:

   Things are slow now, but they expect an increased turnover next month.

7. the number of times that capital is invested and reinvested in a line of merchandise during a specified period of time.
8. the turning over of the capital or stock of goods involved in a particular transaction or course of business.
9. the rate of processing or the amount of material that has undergone a particular process in a given period of time, as in manufacturing.
10. a change from one position, opinion, etc., to another, often to one that is opposed to that previously held.
11. a reorganization of a political organization, business, etc., especially one involving a change or shift of personnel.
12. a baked or deep-fried pastry with a sweet or savory filling in which half the dough is turned over the filling and the edges sealed to form a semicircle or triangle.
13. Basketball, Football. the loss of possession of the ball to the opponents, through misplays or infractions of the rules.

adjective

1. that is or may be turned over.
2. having a part that turns over, as a collar.

Word History and Origins

Origin of turnover¹

First recorded in 1605–15; noun use of verb phrase turn over

Example Sentences

There’s a lot that goes into each, and Brady’s penchant for avoiding interceptions certainly has played a role in New England’s turnover numbers over the years.

From FiveThirtyEight

Even his 11 turnovers couldn’t overshadow what was, again, a truly spectacular performance.

From FiveThirtyEight

Second-term presidents typically have near-total turnover of their Cabinet.

From Ozy

The company’s security guards can start at just above minimum wage, but agency leaders have also noted in recent years that the turnover is high.

From Voice of San Diego

The tags mark game events of particular interest, such as turnovers — when a team loses possession of the ball to its opponent.

From Science News For Students

Profitable corporations like Costco see higher wages as the smart way to boost productivity and reduce turnover.

From The Daily Beast

Turnover was huge in the growing auto industry, as workers hopped from factory to factory in search of better wages.

From The Daily Beast

Politics, like football, is a game of inches, where a single turnover can cost you the game.

From The Daily Beast

According to the Journal, the Gen Y turnover rate at Chegg dropped by 50 percent each year over two years.

From The Daily Beast

By contrast, the turnover rate for physicians at large practices was 6.8 percent in 2012.

From The Daily Beast

He wore a becoming gray suit without a waistcoat, and a blue négligé shirt, with a turnover collar and a blue tie.

From Project Gutenberg

There seemed to be a fast turnover of businesses in Tetrahyde.

From Project Gutenberg

A little geological turnover, a swampy land bridge formed in the right spot, and the lizards began to wander up beacon valley.

From Project Gutenberg

In order to make the head-dress in its 1509 state you must make the white lining with the jewelled turnover as a separate cap.

From Project Gutenberg

He wiped his face with his checked shirt-sleeve, and took a turnover from her hand, bowing very low as he did so.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• coup
• innovation
• insurgency
• mutiny
• rebellion
• revolt
• shift
• strike
• transformation
• turmoil
• unrest
• upheaval
• uprising
• violence