Parkinson's Law

noun

1
: an observation in office organization: the number of subordinates increases at a fixed rate regardless of the amount of work produced
2
: an observation in office organization: work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion

Word History

Etymology

C. Northcote Parkinson †1993 English historian

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of Parkinson's Law was in 1955

Dictionary Entries Near Parkinson's Law

Cite this Entry

“Parkinson's Law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Parkinson%27s%20Law. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!