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period

noun
/ˈpɪə.ɹi.əd/UK/ˈpɪɚ.i.əd/US/ˈpi.ɹɪd/

Etymology

From Middle English periode, from Middle French periode, from Medieval Latin periodus, from Ancient Greek περίοδος (períodos, “circuit, orbit, a recurring interval of time, path around”), from περι- (peri-, “around”) + ὁδός (hodós, “way”). Displaced native Middle English tide (“interval, period, season”), from Old English tīd (“time, period, season”), as well as Middle English elde (“age, period”), from Old English ieldu (“age, period of time”).

  1. derived from περίοδος
  2. derived from periodus
  3. derived from periode
  4. derived from periode

Definitions

  1. A length of time.

    • There was a period of confusion following the announcement.
    • You'll be on probation for a six-month period.
    • Philip Miles, defending, said: "This was a single instance, there was no allegation of continuing behaviour over a long period of time."

  2. A length of time in history seen as a single coherent entity

    A length of time in history seen as a single coherent entity; an epoch, era.

    • Food rationing continued in the post-war period.
    • Sung Yung-hsi of Ch’u-hsiung was a government student during the Chia-ch’ing period.

  3. The punctuation mark “.” (indicating the ending of a sentence or marking an abbreviation).

    • ‘You know, a period? The black spot at the end of a sentence — what do you call them over there?’
  4. ›+ 23 more definitions

    1. A decisive end to something

      A decisive end to something; a stop.

      • My sufferings, physical and mental, are more than I can bear, and when such small arrangements as I have to make for your future well-being are completed it is my intention to put a period to them.

    2. The length of time during which the same characteristics of a periodic phenomenon recur,…

      The length of time during which the same characteristics of a periodic phenomenon recur, such as the repetition of a wave or the rotation of a planet.

    3. Female menstruation

      Female menstruation; an episode of this.

      • When she is on her period, she prefers not to go swimming.

    4. A section of an artist's, writer's (etc.) career distinguished by a given quality,…

      A section of an artist's, writer's (etc.) career distinguished by a given quality, preoccupation etc.

      • This is one of the last paintings Picasso created during his Blue Period.

    5. Each of the divisions into which a school day is split, allocated to a given subject or…

      Each of the divisions into which a school day is split, allocated to a given subject or activity.

      • I have math class in second period.

    6. Each of the intervals, typically three, of which a game is divided.

      • Gretzky scored in the last minute of the second period.

    7. One or more additional intervals to decide a tied game, an overtime period.

      • They won in the first overtime period.

    8. The length of time for a disease to run its course.

    9. An end or conclusion

      An end or conclusion; the final point of a process, a state, an event, etc.

      • As thus all gazed on hir, so she glaunced hir lookes on all, surueying them as curiously, as they noted hir exactly, but at last she set downe her period on the face of Alexis […]
      • And if my death might make this island happy, And prove the period of their tyranny, I would expend it with all willingness:
      • Why now let me die, for I haue liu'd long enough : This is the period of my ambition : O this bleſſed houre.

    10. A complete sentence, especially one expressing a single thought or making a balanced,…

      A complete sentence, especially one expressing a single thought or making a balanced, rhythmic whole.

      • Periods are beautiful when they are not too long.
      • In declamatory periods Dr Fordyce spins out Rousseau's eloquence […]

    11. A specific moment during a given process

      A specific moment during a given process; a point, a stage.

      • The Death of Patroclus was the most eminent Period; and consequently the most proper Time for such Games.

    12. A row in the periodic table of the elements.

    13. A geochronologic unit of millions to tens of millions of years

      A geochronologic unit of millions to tens of millions of years; a subdivision of an era, and subdivided into epochs.

      • These fossils are from the Jurassic period.

    14. A Drosophila gene, the gene product of which is involved in regulation of the circadian…

      A Drosophila gene, the gene product of which is involved in regulation of the circadian rhythm.

      • Polyclonal antibodies were prepared against the period gene product, which influences biological rhythms in D. melanogaster, by using small synthetic peptides from the per sequence as immunogens.

    15. Two phrases (an antecedent and a consequent phrase).

    16. The length of an interval over which a periodic function, periodic sequence or repeating…

      The length of an interval over which a periodic function, periodic sequence or repeating decimal repeats; often the least such length.

    17. Designating anything from a given historical era.

      • a period car
      • a period TV commercial

    18. Evoking, or appropriate for, a particular historical period, especially through the use…

      Evoking, or appropriate for, a particular historical period, especially through the use of elaborate costumes and scenery.

      • a period piece

    19. Menstrual.

      • period pains
      • period blood
      • period supplies

    20. That's final

      That's final; that's the end of the matter (analogous to a period ending a sentence); end of story.

      • I know you don't want to go to the dentist, but your teeth need to be checked, period!
      • I'm the GOAT, point blank period!

    21. To come to a period

      To come to a period; to conclude.

      • For you may period upon this, that where there is the most pity for others, there is the greatest misery in the party pitied.

    22. To put an end to.

    23. To menstruate

      To menstruate; to excrete menstrual blood.

The neighborhood

Derived

accounting period, Baroque period, Classical period, closed period, common practice period, contract period, cooling-off period, critical period, double period, eigenperiod, foreperiod, free period, gestation period, glacial period, grace period, grand period of growth, gyroperiod, half-period, Hamilton period, honeymoon period, hydroperiod, incubation period, intraperiod, Julian period, long-period, medium-period, Meiji period, menstrual period, menstruation period, midperiod, modern period, multiperiod, Nara period, nonperiod, notice period, on one's period, operational service period, ovulatory period, period diaper, period doubling · +51 more

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for period. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA