Definitions for period
ˈpɪər i ədpe·ri·od

Princeton's WordNet(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. time period, period of time, period(noun)

   an amount of time

   "a time period of 30 years"; "hastened the period of time of his recovery"; "Picasso's blue period"

2. period(noun)

   the interval taken to complete one cycle of a regularly repeating phenomenon

3. period(noun)

   (ice hockey) one of three divisions into which play is divided in hockey games

4. period, geological period(noun)

   a unit of geological time during which a system of rocks formed

   "ganoid fishes swarmed during the earlier geological periods"

5. period(noun)

   the end or completion of something

   "death put a period to his endeavors"; "a change soon put a period to my tranquility"

6. menstruation, menses, menstruum, catamenia, period, flow(noun)

   the monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause

   "the women were sickly and subject to excessive menstruation"; "a woman does not take the gout unless her menses be stopped"--Hippocrates; "the semen begins to appear in males and to be emitted at the same time of life that the catamenia begin to flow in females"--Aristotle

7. period, point, full stop, stop, full point(noun)

   a punctuation mark (.) placed at the end of a declarative sentence to indicate a full stop or after abbreviations

   "in England they call a period a stop"

GCIDE(3.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Period(n.)

   (Sports) One of the specified time intervals into which a game is divided; as, there are three periods in a hockey game.

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

2. Period(n.)

   (Education) One of the specified time intervals into which the academic day is divided; as, my calculus class is in the first period.

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

3. Period(n.)

   The time interval during which a woman is menstruating, or the event of a single menstruation; as, her period was late this month.

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. period(Noun)

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

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

2. period(Noun)

   An end or conclusion; the final point of a process etc.

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

3. period(Noun)

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

   Food rationing continued in the post-war period.

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

4. period(Noun)

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

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

5. period(Noun)

   The punctuation mark u201C.u201D (indicating the ending of a sentence or marking an abbreviation).

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

6. period(Noun)

   A length of time.

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

7. period(Noun)

   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.

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

8. period(Noun)

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

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

9. period(Noun)

   Female menstruation.

   When she is on her period she can be more disagreeable than usual

   Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

10. period(Noun)

    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.

    Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

11. period(Noun)

    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.

    Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

12. period(Noun)

    Each of the intervals into which various sporting events are divided.

    Gretzky scored in the last minute of the second period.

    Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

13. period(Noun)

    A row in the periodic table of the elements.

    Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

14. period(Noun)

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

    Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

15. period(Noun)

    two phrases (an antecedent and a consequent phrase)

    Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

16. period(Adjective)

    Appropriate for a given historical era.

    Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

17. period(Interjection)

    And nothing else; and nothing less; used for emphasis.

    When I say "eat your dinner," it means "eat your dinner," period!

    Etymology: From periode, from periode, from periodus, from περίοδος, from περί- + ὁδός. Displaced native tide, from tid, elde, from ieldu.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Period(noun)

   a portion of time as limited and determined by some recurring phenomenon, as by the completion of a revolution of one of the heavenly bodies; a division of time, as a series of years, months, or days, in which something is completed, and ready to recommence and go on in the same order; as, the period of the sun, or the earth, or a comet

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

2. Period(noun)

   a stated and recurring interval of time; more generally, an interval of time specified or left indefinite; a certain series of years, months, days, or the like; a time; a cycle; an age; an epoch; as, the period of the Roman republic

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

3. Period(noun)

   one of the great divisions of geological time; as, the Tertiary period; the Glacial period. See the Chart of Geology

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

4. Period(noun)

   the termination or completion of a revolution, cycle, series of events, single event, or act; hence, a limit; a bound; an end; a conclusion

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

5. Period(noun)

   a complete sentence, from one full stop to another; esp., a well-proportioned, harmonious sentence

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

6. Period(noun)

   the punctuation point [.] that marks the end of a complete sentence, or of an abbreviated word

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

7. Period(noun)

   one of several similar sets of figures or terms usually marked by points or commas placed at regular intervals, as in numeration, in the extraction of roots, and in circulating decimals

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

8. Period(noun)

   the time of the exacerbation and remission of a disease, or of the paroxysm and intermission

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

9. Period(noun)

   a complete musical sentence

   Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

10. Period(verb)

    to put an end to

    Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

11. Period(verb)

    to come to a period; to conclude. [Obs.] "You may period upon this, that," etc

    Etymology: [L. periodus, Gr. peri`odos a going round, a way round, a circumference, a period of time; peri` round, about + "odo`s a way: cf. F. priode.]

Freebase(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Period

   A geologic period is a time unit subdivision of geologic time defined as a span of years into which the larger era time units are divided into smaller timeframes, as Era's divide the Eon. In the Earth Sciences rocks and especially the sequences of rocks called stratum arrayed in an ordered "rock column" occurring during a timespan are the focus of study so the time units are paired with corresponding Rock strata units whose characteristics define such points elsewhere that occurred concurrently as the local rock layers were laid down as sediments. For the Geological Period the paired rock strata term, a geologic stage is used to denote the corresponding rock layers of both the geologic record and the fossil record; thus the rocks of the Devonian System were laid down during the Devonian Period, and such equivalent units exist at each level of refinement of geological chronology and biogeological or stratigraphic classification. Each unit of strata, no matter how interrupted the record recorded in the local rock column, is mapped into the overall geologic record and classified carefully into chronological units of geologic time based on world wide efforts of the International Commission on Stratigraphy working to correlate the world's local stratigraphic record into one uniform planet wide benchmarked system, in a steady effort ongoing since 1974. While paleontologists often refer to faunal stages rather than geologic periods, they are often used in popular presentations of paleontology or plate reconstructions.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Period

   pē′ri-ud, n. the time in which anything is performed: (astron.) the time occupied by one of the heavenly bodies in making its revolution: a stated interval of time, at the end of which certain events begin again to go through the same course as before: a series of events: a series of years: length of duration: the time at which anything ends: conclusion: (gram.) a mark at the end of a sentence: (rhet.) a complete sentence.—v.t. (Shak.) to put an end to.—adjs. Period′ic, -al, pertaining to a period: happening by revolution: occurring at regular intervals: pertaining to periodicals.—ns. Period′ical, a magazine or other publication which appears in parts at regular periods; Period′icalist, one who writes in a periodical.—adv. Period′ically.—n. Periodic′ity, state of being periodic: tendency to happen over again at regular intervals of time.—Periodical literature, literature published in magazines, &c.; Periodic function, one whose operation being iterated a certain number of times restores the variable: a function having a period; Periodic inequality, a disturbance in the motion of a planet due to its position in its orbit relatively to another planet; Periodic law (chem.), a relation of elements according to their atomic weights. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. periodos—peri, around, hodos, a way.]

The Standard Electrical Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Period

   The time required for the completion of one complete element of periodic motion. This may be a complete alternation (See Alternation, Complete) of an alternating current, or of an oscillatory discharge.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. period

   The time it takes for a satellite to complete one orbit around the earth.

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. period

   A specific or known unit of time.

   The governmental period was for a 5yr period.

   Submitted by MaryC on February 20, 2020  

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'period' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #341

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'period' in Written Corpus Frequency: #746

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'period' in Nouns Frequency: #91

Anagrams for period »

1. dopier

How to pronounce period?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say period in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of period in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of period in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of period in a Sentence

1. James Delgado:

   If this wreck is as old as we think it is, it comes at a time when America is between a colony and a republic, it's an exciting period where America is really opening as an independent nation to the rest of the world.

2. Fuyun Bian:

   However this black hole at the center of the quasar gained enormous mass in a short period of time.

3. Ken Yeager:

   Chocolate is a huge caffeine source, i know people who don't drink coffee but they'll eat six little candy bars in a two-hour period because they want the same kind of jolt.

4. Prime Minister Habib Essid:

   We know very well reforms come at an expensive price, but we need social peace in the coming period to push ahead with urgent changes due the critical economic situation.

5. RJ Intindola:

   My Broken Pieces A few weeks back, a longtime friend asked if I would meet her for lunch to discuss a new job offer. We sat in the restaurant for forty-five minutes discussing her new job opportunity when her face grew solemn. She sighed, staring down into her plate. I asked, “is everything all right,” knowing she did not ask me to meet to discuss a job offer. She said, “everything is fine, but I cannot get your story or quote about the broken pieces out of my mind.” She took a deep breath raised her head and, in half whisper, said, “it really described the broken pieces in my marriage? I answered, “when promises, borders and commitment are broken, and especially betrayal, the relationship may be repaired but never return to what it once was or could have been.” Before she left, she thanked me for giving her a copy. I refer to the story, as “The Broken Vase.” The Broken Vase Love and marriage are often broken by betrayal, lies and unkept promises. Betrayal is the ultimate form of deceit and deception. It reminded me of something I wrote many years ago about a vase that was knocked off the shelf and broken into many pieces. For a moment you’re not sure what to do but then you decide to try and repair it. Imagine trying to pick up the pieces of your life, left behind in the wake of betrayal. You must be methodical and cautious because your path is covered with egg shells. You realize it may not be the same as it once was, but would vase be good enough to keep. After all, you’ve had it for thirty years. When you believe all the pieces have been collected and placed on the table, you do one last search for the smallest pieces you may have missed. You find two small pieces, place them on the table and stare down at the broken pieces of something you cherished and was beautiful. Something so precious you often proudly displayed it to friends Over a period of three weeks, you managed to glue the vase back together. You slowly turn it around on the table and realize it is an archaic reproduction of its original form. There are holes in it created by pieces you did not find and never will. Like the pieces missing from your relationship. Held together by history and commitment but still broken. And severely damaged. The vase will never hold flowers again because it cannot hold water. And like your relationship, it has become fragile as you watch a piece fall off the vase when you lifted off the table. And when you think about the broken pieces collected from your relationship, you know that will also never be the same. As you held up the beautiful vase to show people it’s beauty, that now is simply a collection of glued pieces that resembles your relationship. You can no longer showcase your marriage. Only because of its history you place the vase back on the self, but it seems out of place and detracts from the ambience around it. After a few weeks you take the vase to your home office and place it on a shelf. A few weeks later, you sadly change the location to the closet. And like your relationship it has been moved to a different place. A dark place. When people say to you, you and your wife seem to get along very well. You think about showing them the vase. All that remains of the relationship is held together by glue. After several years you are still seeking out the missing pieces from your heart knowing deep inside you will never find. There’s only one way to get them back and that is to leave. But leaving will also mean breaking more pieces. Those are your two choices. If you leave, you will get back some of the pieces you lost but you would lose others by virtue of leaving.

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