low-impactadj.
/ˌləʊˈɪmpakt/, U.S. /ˌloʊˈɪmˌpæk(t)/ 1. literal and figurative. That causes little impact or makes little impression; that involves little impact.
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1963 Marriage & Family Living 25 19/2 The experimental design proposed here can show that individuals can be influenced by different means in a particular society, by comparing the effects of high and low impact programs.
1967 Washington Post 26 Feb. e2/1 The initial scenario did not involve overt American participation in the actions which were to be low-impact aggression tied to sabotage and psychological warfare.
1971 Times 21 Oct. 29/1 A slower rate of [airbag] inflation in low impact collisions will place less pressure on a car occupant's ear drums.
1981 Mining Mag. (Nexis) Apr. 325 The design provides good vehicle riding and operator comfort, low impact loading on track rollers, links, pins and track frames and increased traction, since the tracks are kept in contact with the ground.
1995 Sat. Night (Toronto) June 68/2 Though long touted as one of Hollywood's best-kept secrets, that's exactly what he remains, even after Blown Away, last summer's high-profile, low-impact foray into big-bang pyrotechnics.
2006 New Yorker 30 Oct. 88/3 But Jackson stuck with the style, making high-tech, medium-temperature, low-impact bedroom music her signature.
2. spec.
a. Designating an activity designed or pursued so as to have as little adverse effect on the environment as possible; spec. designating tourism or other recreational activities in which participants attempt to cause minimum damage to the environment and leave no trace of their visit, as low-impact camping. Also: relating to such an activity.
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the world > action or operation > safety > [adjective] > safe or not dangerous > safe or harmless > to the environment
environmentalist1968
environmentally sound1969
environmentally friendly1971
friendly1971
low-impact1972
sustainable1976
environmental1977
environmental friendly1977
sustainability1980
eco-sensitive1982
environment-friendly1982
nature-friendly1984
ozone-friendly1988
earth-friendly1989
eco-friendly1989
1972 Times 2 June 14/4 The partnership will also carry out experiments on their farm on, for instance, low impact technology and recycling.
1975 Traverse City (Mich.) Record-Eagle 12 Feb. 15/5 The first basic leader certification workshop..will consist of fire construction, meal planning, outdoor camping, equipment, low impact camping, basic survival consideration, hiking and backpacking skills.
1976 Business Week (Nexis) 10 May 78 h Kenneth E. Blower, Sohio's associate project director for environment, says, ‘Over-all, it's a very low-impact project.’
1995 High Country News 4 Sept. 8/1 Preaching the virtues of low-impact camping may not make much difference to consumers bombarded with television images of ‘extreme’ sports.
2001 N.Y. Times (National ed.) 4 Nov. v. 8/1 Growing interest in alternative power, low-impact logging and organic farming is fueling a working animal renaissance; the Amish, of course, never gave them up.
2011 Alberni Valley (Brit. Columbia) Times (Nexis) 17 Jan. a9 The new trail also affords better views than the old trail and most of all, is a low-impact hiking trail.
b. Designating or relating to physical exercise (esp. a type of aerobics) which is designed to put little or no harmful stress on the body (typically by avoiding jerky movements, impacts caused by the feet landing repeatedly on the ground, etc.). Cf. high-impact adj. 2b.
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society > leisure > sport > types of sport or game > gymnastics > exercise > [adjective] > specific systems
callisthenic1826
callisthenical1831
Sandow1898
Muller's exercises1910
aerobic1942
anaerobic1942
cardio1972
survival1972
high-impact1984
low-impact1985
1985 Vogue Sept. 445/2 (heading) Fitness now... Low-impact aerobics.
1992 Future Fitness UK May 89/1 Low Impact cassettes can be pitched up to a High Impact speed, and pitched down for Step.
1993 Albuquerque (New Mexico) Jrnl. 11 Oct. b2/2 Structural therapy is one variant of classic Rolfing. Other variants include..trager, a low-impact movement education approach.
2001 Fodor's Healthy Escapes (rev. ed.) Gloss. 332 Step aerobics, low-impact aerobic exercise involving rhythmic stepping on and off a small platform.
2012 Independent on Sunday 29 Apr. (New Review) 3/1 With wholesome things, such as crisp sandwiches and Easter eggs, with walking, gym visits, novels and the occasional low-impact exercise class.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2013; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1963