English · Work & Business

outsourcing

/ˈaʊtˌsɔːr.sɪŋ/

[/ˈaʊtˌsɔːr.sɪŋ/]

hiring outside firms for work

Advancednoun

Definition

The practice of paying another company to do work that was previously done inside your own company.

Example

The firm reduced costs by outsourcing its customer support to a specialist company abroad.

The firm reduced costs by outsourcing its customer support to a specialist company abroad.

Etymology

A compound of 'out' and 'source', coined in the late 20th century in business management.

How & Where It’s Used

Used in business operations and IT.

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