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term

term

∞ 5.8
A fixed period of time during which something happens, for example a school session or a prison sentence
  • noun
  • /tɜrm/
: periodo
  • Trump's only got a four year term after this election.
  • long-term
  • short-term
  • academic term

And you know, maybe half a term for, for Egyptian leaders.

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Examples

  • Every other state has either term limit or age limit.

  • I got your second term report card.

  • Sounds like a high school term paper.

  • The planning process helps you develop a long-term vision to benefit the school community.

    Academic text (2013)
  • There are many opportunities for students in terms of internships, apprenticeships, and paid employment.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Twenty schools were recruited in Term 4 of 2012 to participate in the WASABR.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Along the way she coined the term radioactivity.

  • First, this part will illustrate how current terms of service agreements can compromise user privacy.

    Academic text (2017)
  • Likewise, male students with a higher first-term GPA tended to have a higher annual income.

    Academic text (2015)
  • The school year is divided into two terms, each lasting approximately six months.

Synonyms

period
vsterm
∞ 2.1

A length of time with a clear start and end, like a class or game segment

is the specific notion of a fixed limited duration used in many contexts
time
vsterm
  • Informal
∞ 9.1

A period spent in prison as punishment

is the broader idea of any fixed limited period, not only prison
spell
vsterm
109 2.7

A short period of time when something happens, like bad weather

is generally longer or officially fixed rather than briefly occurring
time period
vsterm
93 2.2

A length of time that includes certain events

focuses on fixed, limited durations rather than any vague span
time frame
vsterm
87 3.1

A fixed period when something happens or is expected to happen

often refers to fixed official or biological durations rather than plans
stint
vsterm
77 5.0

A short fixed time spent doing a job

is the general fixed period concept rather than a work episode
4 3.7

A fixed time when a person holds an official job

is the general label for any fixed limited period
time interval
vsterm
4 3.3

A period between two events that you can measure

uses fixed limits too but covers named roles and life stages
timespan
vsterm
1 3.4

A period of time between a start and an end

is more about fixed, limited periods used for roles or terms
academic term
vsterm
2.7

A period when a school or university holds classes

is broader, applying to many fixed periods beyond education

Idioms

A long time when you think about future results

Compounds

502 3.0

Lasting for a long time

247 3.0

A time that continues far into the future

short-term memory
  • Specialized
22 3.9

The ability to remember things for a short time

20 3.2

A long essay a student writes at the end of a course to show what they learned

19 4.2

A period of time someone must spend in jail as punishment for a crime

Money put away to grow for more than a year

long-term memory
  • Specialized
7 3.7

The part of the brain that keeps information for a long time

5 3.7

A word or phrase used to show love and care for someone

A fixed time when a person holds an official job

4 2.7

A period of five years for a contract or other agreement

4 3.3

The time in pregnancy when the baby is fully grown and ready to be born

The time a president is in office

2 3.7

A fixed time when a contract stays valid

slang term
  • Slang
2 9.5

An informal word or phrase used in speech by a certain group, not in formal language

1 1.0

A period when a school has regular classes

term insurance
  • Specialized
1 4.2

Insurance that pays money if you die during a set time, with fixed payments and no savings

1 2.1

A short school holiday about halfway through a term

1 5.5

A general word used to include many different things, groups, or ideas

term infant
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A baby born at 37 to 42 weeks of pregnancy

A job that lasts only a few weeks or months

short-term liability
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A debt that must be paid within one year

Canadianese term
  • Canadian
9.9

A word or phrase mainly used in Canadian English

degree of a term
  • Specialized
7.2

The total of the exponents of the variables in a term

A period when a school or university holds classes

A word used to show love or warm feeling for someone, like 'darling'

major term
  • Specialized
9.2

The term that is the predicate in the conclusion of a syllogism

middle term
  • Specialized
9.9

A word or phrase that appears in both statements but not in the conclusion

minor term
  • Specialized
9.6

The word that the conclusion is about in a syllogism

A fixed rental period that ends early if a specific event happens, for example when the landlord dies

5.7

A fixed period of time someone agrees to serve in the military

A person who often travels for work or study

9.6

A word that does not come from Latin

The time during which a vice president holds office

vulgar term
  • Offensive
9.8

A rude word about sex or body parts

How Long

decade
∞ 1.0
year
∞ 1.0
term
∞ 5.8
session
663 2.5

Surface Forms

term singular
terms plural

Etymology

The word term comes from Latin terminus meaning 'end', the same root as terminal, so a school term or a president's term is a period with a clear limit that finishes at a set time.