opportunity cost

Definition

The value of the best alternative you give up when making a choice, beloved by economists and annoying people at dinner parties who calculate the lost investment returns of buying appetizers.

Example Usage

The opportunity cost of building this feature in-house is not developing three other customer-requested features.

Origin

Economic theory formalized by Austrian economist Friedrich von Wieser in the late 19th century.

Fun Fact

Every meeting has an opportunity cost calculable by multiplying attendees by their hourly rate by duration, which is why that all-hands just cost $47,000.

Source: Economic theory and business decision-making terminology

Related Terms

Beginner

lip service

Verbal support for an idea or policy with zero intention of actually implementing it or following through. Corporate theater where agreement is performative rather than actionable.

💼 Corporate / Business

Beginner

bitter betty

The office nickname for anyone radiating maximum crankiness, whether from PMS, lack of coffee, or just their baseline personality setting. Gender-neutral despite the name, a bitter betty can strike anywhere, anytime, turning meetings into emotional minefields. They're the human equivalent of a Monday morning.

💼 Corporate / Business

Intermediate

underpinning

The foundational support structure, literally in construction or figuratively in arguments and business strategy. In corporate speak, it's the pretentious way to say "basis" when you want to sound more important. Every consultant's favorite word for describing whatever holds up their overpriced recommendations.

💼 Corporate / Business

Intermediate

edict

An official order or proclamation issued by someone in authority, typically delivered with all the subtlety of a royal decree. It's the formal way of saying 'because I said so' when you have the power to make it stick. Modern usage often carries a whiff of authoritarianism or at least managerial overreach.

💼 Corporate / Business

Beginner

actionable

Information specific enough to actually act upon, as opposed to the vague insights and useless data that comprise most business reports.

💼 Corporate / Business

Beginner

cascade

The process of distributing information, decisions, or directives down through organizational hierarchy levels, typically ensuring that everyone hears the message third-hand and slightly distorted, like corporate telephone.

💼 Corporate / Business

Translate This Term

See “opportunity cost” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

Try the Translator

Share This Term

Post on X Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn

Discover a Term

Beginner

movement pattern

A fundamental category of human motion (squat, hinge, push, pull, carry, etc.) that transcends specific exercises. It's ...