trigger-the-butterfly-effect
/ˈtrɪɡ.ə ðə ˈbʌt.ə.flaɪ ɪˈfɛkt/ IELTSAcademic
phrase
to cause a small action or event that leads to much bigger and often unexpected results later.
- One late email triggered the butterfly effect.
- A small delay can trigger the butterfly effect.
- That tiny mistake triggered the butterfly effect.
Adinary Nuance
This phrase is not the same as cause or lead to. Those are general and neutral. Trigger the butterfly effect adds the idea that the first event is small, but the later result becomes much bigger and harder to predict. Writers use it when they want to stress chain reactions, not just a simple result.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- hiệu ứng bươm bướm
- Spanish
- efecto mariposa
- Chinese
- 蝴蝶效应
- Japanese
- バタフライ効果
- Korean
- 나비 효과
Etymology
This phrase comes from the butterfly effect idea in chaos theory, popular from the 1970s. The image suggests that a very small cause can lead to large changes over time.
Common phrases
trigger the butterfly effecta butterfly-effect changethe butterfly effect of one small choice
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is trigger the butterfly effect a common phrase?
- It is understandable, but not very common in everyday speech. People often say "cause a chain reaction" instead.
- What is the difference between trigger the butterfly effect and cause?
- Cause is general. This phrase suggests a tiny starting event with large, surprising later effects.
- Is this phrase formal or informal?
- It is more common in writing, articles, and academic discussion than in casual speech.
- Can I use it in business writing?
- Yes, if you are describing small decisions that create big later effects.