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quantum leap

noun

a sudden highly significant advance; breakthrough

quantum leap

In physics, the movement of an electron from one orbit in an atom to another, sending out or taking on a photon in the process. (See Bohr atom.)

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Informally, a “quantum leap” may be any great, sudden, or discontinuous change.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of quantum leap¹

C20: from its use in physics meaning the sudden jump of an electron, atom, etc from one energy level to another

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Idioms and Phrases

A dramatic advance, especially in knowledge or method, as in Establishing a central bank represents a quantum leap in this small country's development. This term originated as quantum jump in the mid-1900s in physics, where it denotes a sudden change from one energy state to another within an atom. Within a decade it was transferred to other advances, not necessarily sudden but very important ones.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Nato needs a "quantum leap" in defence to deter threats to the alliance, its secretary general has said, as he called for Western allies to invest more in their armed forces.

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Fin Smith is the man tasked with delivering a quantum leap forward.

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When connected to a power source, electrons travel down the tip and make a quantum leap across the atom-sized gap.

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CGI technology has, of course, made quantum leaps since you worked on “Twister” 18 years ago.

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“There’s no question about it. It’s a huge quantum leap,” said Tom McMillen, the former Maryland basketball player and congressman who led a group of collegiate athletic directors the past year years.

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quantum jump quantum mechanics

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