# perestroika

> English word · Noun · IPA /pɛɹ.ɪˈstɹɔɪ.kə/ · frequency rank #60,355

## Definitions
1. A program of political and economic reform carried out in the Soviet Union in the 1980s and early 1990s under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev.
2. The period of time in the Soviet Union during which these reforms were carried out and in effect.
3. A situation where a small variation of parameters leads to a sudden change in properties.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Russian перестро́йка (perestrójka, “restructuring”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/perestroika