noun
divorced woman returning to her parents' home; returning to one's parents after divorce
Derogatory term for a woman who has divorced and moved back to her parents. The act of returning itself can also be referred to with this word. Considered old-fashioned and insensitive in modern usage.
彼女は出戻りだと言われて傷ついた。
She was hurt when she was called a 'demodori' (divorced woman who returned to her parents).
出戻りの娘を実家が温かく迎
The family warmly welcomed their daughter who had returned after her divorce.
noun
returning to a former workplace; boomerang employee
Refers to someone who leaves a company and later returns to work there again. Can be used for the person or the act. Neutral in tone, unlike sense 1.
彼は出戻り社員として以前の部署に復帰した。
He returned to his former department as a boomerang employee.
出戻りは最近の企業では珍しくない。
Boomerang employees are not uncommon in companies these days.
noun
departing from and returning to the same port
Nautical term for a ship that leaves a port and later returns to the same port, often without calling at other ports. Technical and domain-specific.
その船は出戻りで、同じ港に戻ってきた。
The ship made a round trip, returning to the same port.
里帰り is a general term for returning to one's hometown or parents' home, often for a visit, without the divorce connotation. 出戻り specifically implies returning after a divorce (sense 1) or to a former workplace (sense 2).
Uターン refers to returning to one's hometown after working elsewhere, often used in the context of employment. 出戻り (sense 2) is more about returning to the same company, not just the same region.
Compound of 出 (で, 'leaving') + 戻り (もどり, 'returning'). The literal meaning is 'leaving and returning', which underlies all senses.