takeaway

Takeaway is a term with multiple related meanings in English. Most commonly, it denotes the main point, lesson, or conclusion drawn from an experience, discussion, or piece of writing. In business and journalism, it is often used in the plural as “the key takeaways” to summarize essential insights.

The word also refers to food intended to be eaten elsewhere. In British English, a takeaway (also written as take-away) is a meal prepared by a restaurant for immediate consumption off the premises. In American English, the equivalent term is takeout (or to-go). The two usages describe the same concept, with regional preferences shaping the common form and branding, such as “takeaway menu” or “takeout counter.”

Etymology traces takeaway to the phrase “take away,” meaning to remove or carry away. The sense of extracting a lesson or principal result from a source emerged in modern usage and is now a standard part of professional and educational discourse.

Usage notes indicate that “key takeaway” or “takeaways” is typical in formal writing when outlining important points. In casual speech, people may say “What’s the takeaway?” or “That’s my takeaway from the meeting.” In sum, takeaway covers both the idea of a salient lesson or result and the practical service of food prepared for take-away consumption, with regional vocabulary reflecting local preferences.