Meanings
nounsingle point of failure (plural single points of failure)
plural single points of failure
- A component in a device, or a point in a network, that, if it were to fail, would cause the entire device or network to fail (normally eliminated by adding redundancy).
The Jesus nut got its name because it is a single point of failure — if it goes, there's nothing you can do but pray.
- broadlyA minor mistake that creates a chain reaction.
The intact twine in Dylan's beef Wellington was a single point of failure.
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 單點故障 /单点故障
- 單點故障 /单点故障a component in a device, or a point in a network, that, if it were to fail would cause the entire device or network to fail; normally eliminated by adding redundancy
Finnish yksittäinen vikaantumispiste
- yksittäinen vikaantumispistea component in a device, or a point in a network, that, if it were to fail would cause the entire device or network to fail; normally eliminated by adding redundancy
Polish pojedynczy punkt awarii
- pojedynczy punkt awariia component in a device, or a point in a network, that, if it were to fail would cause the entire device or network to fail; normally eliminated by adding redundancy
Swedish felkritisk systemdel
- felkritisk systemdela component in a device, or a point in a network, that, if it were to fail would cause the entire device or network to fail; normally eliminated by adding redundancy
Cite this entry
APA
single point of failure. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/single%20point%20of%20failure
MLA
“single point of failure.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/single%20point%20of%20failure. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “single point of failure,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/single%20point%20of%20failure.
Source: single point of failure on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.