cutback
UK: ˈkʌtbæk | US: ˈkʌtbæk
n. a reduction in something (e.g., spending, staff, or production)
n. (Film) a transition in editing where the scene returns to an earlier moment
cutback = cut<to reduce> + back<returning>
Etymology Origin:
The word cutback combines "cut," derived from Old English cyttan (meaning "to divide or reduce"), and "back," from Old English bæc (meaning "returning or reversing"). It emerged in the early 20th century, initially in financial contexts to describe budget reductions, later adopted in film editing to denote a return to a previous scene. The logic is straightforward: "cut" implies reduction, while "back" suggests reversal or repetition.
The company announced a cutback in employee benefits due to budget constraints.
Environmentalists oppose the cutback on renewable energy funding.
The director used a clever cutback to reveal the protagonist’s childhood.
Airlines are implementing cutbacks to cope with declining travel demand.
The film’s suspense relied on strategic cutbacks to earlier scenes.