noun
pivot
PIHV-iht
noun
1
A central point or shaft on which something turns or balances.
"The door swings on a pivot set into the frame."
"A basketball player must keep one foot on the pivot when turning."
2
A person or thing that something else depends heavily on.
"The star striker was the pivot of the whole attacking strategy."
verb
1
To turn sharply on one spot, or to make a sudden major change in strategy or direction.
"She pivoted on her heel and walked out."
"The startup pivoted from a dating app to a job-matching platform after its first idea flopped."
How to Use Pivot
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe point something turns around — physically (a hinge) or figuratively (a business changing direction).
Common pairings
pivot point
pivot on one foot
pivot to a new strategy
key pivot
Word Forms
pivoted past tense, pivots plural, pivots singular
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The door swings on a _____ set into the frame.
Etymology
From Old French pivot, "hinge pin," possibly traced back to a Latin word for a pointed object.