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

This innovation also creates revolutionary spillover effects across energy, transportation, and medicine. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Fauci has asserted that the scientific evidence points to a spillover — whereby the virus would have found its way from an animal into its first human host, and then spread at that point from human to human. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 27 July 2026

An interesting implication of the spillover effect is that the end customers of consumer electronics devices are now effectively competing against giant data centers. — Srikanth Jagabathula, Fortune, 24 July 2026

California has logged 41 cyclosporiasis cases this year, most tied to international travel, and none linked to the current outbreak — but health officials are watching for Midwestern spillover. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 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