Piekpunt

Piekpunt is a Dutch term that literally means peak point. In practice it denotes the moment or value at which a quantity reaches its maximum within a defined period, dataset, or system. The concept can refer to the highest data value (the peak) and/or the time at which that peak occurs. Depending on context, a piekpunt can be a local maximum within a subset or the global maximum over a broader interval.

In statistics and data analysis, identifying the piekpunt helps describe the intensity of a phenomenon, such as peak demand, peak load, or peak incidence. In meteorology and energy management, piekpunte are used to characterize periods of highest temperature, consumption, or stress on infrastructure. In epidemiology, the piekpunt of an outbreak refers to the day or week when new cases peak, after which the numbers decline.

The term is distinct from related ideas such as the inflection point (where the curvature changes sign) or a threshold (a critical level that triggers a qualitative change). A piekpunt focuses on the extremum value rather than a qualitative transition, although in practice a peak may signal the onset of a subsequent decline or shift in dynamics.

Etymologically, piekpunt combines piek (peak) and punt (point) and is widely used in technical, business, and scientific Dutch prose. The precise meaning depends on the measurement, period, and scope of the analysis, and some datasets may feature multiple local piekpunte.