Path dependence
Etymology
A plain compound — "path" plus "dependence" — with no ancient story behind it; it was coined by economists in the 1980s. The classic illustration is the QWERTY keyboard, laid out for early typewriters and locked in ever since. The outcome depends on the path taken to reach it, not just on what would be best.
noun · /path dih-PEN-dunce/
When earlier choices constrain later ones, so history — not present merit — explains why things are the way they are.
What it names
Why we’re stuck with arrangements no one would design today: they made sense once, and switching now costs too much.
Example
The city’s odd street grid is pure path dependence — it follows cow paths that were paved over centuries ago.
Related idea
Lock-in is the state of being trapped; path dependence is the process that gets you there.