The correct spelling is "cancelled out," with two L's and two N's. The IPA phonetic transcription for this word is /ˈkæn səld aʊt/. The double letters are necessary for pronunciation reasons, as the first L and N represent the preceding syllable while the second L and N represent the following syllable. The use of IPA transcription can help people understand the sounds of words and their proper spellings, especially in English which can be quite irregular.
Cancelled out is a phrase used to describe the elimination or neutralization of an effect, influence, or factor by another. It refers to the process of two or more opposing forces or elements combining or negating each other's impact, resulting in a nullification or zero-sum outcome.
In various contexts, cancelled out often implies a state where the positive and negative aspects of an equation, action, or event counterbalance each other, rendering the overall effect insignificant or negligible. This can occur in mathematical equations, where positive and negative numbers may cancel each other out, leading to a sum of zero. For instance, in the equation 5 + (-5), the positive value of 5 and the negative value of -5 cancel each other out, equaling zero.
The concept of cancellation can also apply to other fields like science, economics, and psychology. In physics, for example, cancelling out may occur when two opposing forces have equal magnitude and act in opposite directions, resulting in equilibrium or the absence of movement. Similarly, in economics, the concept can be used to explain how positive and negative economic factors cancel each other out, resulting in a net balance or no overall effect.
Overall, cancelled out denotes the state of nullification, offset, or annulment of an effect or force by another, resulting in a balanced or inconsequential outcome.
The word "cancelled out" does not have a separate etymology itself, as it is a phrase formed by combining two separate words: "cancelled" and "out".
"Cancelled" derives from the Middle English word "cancellen", meaning "to cross out, to annul". It evolved from the Latin word "cancellare", which has a similar meaning of "to make resemble a lattice". In Latin, "cancellare" is derived from "cancellus", which refers to a barrier composed of crossed beams or bars.
On the other hand, "out" originates from the Old English word "ut", which is related to the Old Saxon and Old Frisian words "ut" and "utte". The term signifies being outside or moving from the inside to the outside.