spillover

noun

spill·​over ˈspil-ˌō-vər 

often attributive

1

: the act or an instance of spilling over

2

: a quantity that spills over

3

: an extension of something especially when an excess exists

benefiting from a spillover of prosperity from neighboring states

Examples of spillover in a Sentence

Put a pan under the pie to catch any spillovers.

New technology has a positive spillover effect into countless fields.

Recent Examples on the Web

Remote work tends to compress interactions into discrete exchanges—clear starts, clear stops, little spillover. —Vikram Joshi, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Previous Ebola epidemics have often begun through zoonotic spillover (or spillover transmission), in which the virus passes from infected wildlife—frequently bats—to humans or other animals. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 May 2026

Last year, the WHO adopted a pandemic treaty, the first of its kind with obligations on spillover prevention. —Neil Vora, Time, 22 May 2026

Now that zoonotic spillover epidemics are going to be the new normal, this is a time to be reinforcing our infrastructure, both for national preparedness through support for the Centers for Disease Control, but also our state, county, and city health departments. —Dana Taylor, USA Today, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1940, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for spillover

• carryover
• changeover
• crossover
• cutover
• flashover
• hangover
• holdover
• layover
• leftover
• makeover
• moreover
• passover