layoff (/ˈleɪ.ɒf/)
noun · Intermediate · Work & Business
🔊 /ˈleɪ.ɒf/
Meaning
Meaning: dismissal of workers
The act of a company ending workers’ jobs, usually because there is not enough work or money.
Examples
🗣 The factory announced layoffs after sales dropped sharply during the long economic downturn.
Etymology
From the phrasal verb ‘lay off’, meaning to stop employing temporarily or permanently.
How & Where It’s Used
Used in employment and economics, often during downturns.
Tags: work, employment