period
PEER-ree-uhd
Period (noun) means a stretch of time, or a particular era seen as a distinct whole. Example: “The company grew fast during a five-year period.”
noun
1
A stretch of time, or a particular era seen as a distinct whole.
"The company grew fast during a five-year period."
"The museum has a wing devoted to the Victorian period."
"The doctor said the recovery period would last about six weeks."
2
The punctuation mark "." used to end a sentence or mark an abbreviation.
"Don't forget the period at the end of that sentence."
"Put a period after Dr when you write it in American style."
"Each sentence in the exercise needs a capital letter and a period."
3
A monthly episode of menstruation.
"She was cramping badly on the first day of her period."
"She keeps a small calendar to track when her period is due."
"Many teenagers feel nervous before they get their first period."
4
One of the timed segments a game, class, or match is divided into.
"The hockey game went to a third period before anyone scored."
"The students have a free period straight after lunch on Fridays."
"Our team scored early in the second period of the match."
intj
1
Used to show a statement is final, with nothing more to add.
""I'm not going, period.""
"You must finish your homework before dinner, period."
"We are not changing the plan now, period."
How to use period
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA stretch of time, the punctuation mark at the end of a sentence, a monthly menstrual cycle, or a segment of a game — context tells you which.
UK vs US
In British English this punctuation mark is usually called a "full stop"; "period" for it is the standard American term.
Common pairings
a period of time
grace period
have a period
end of period
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Word forms
- Plural
- periods
- Third person singular
- periods
- Past tense
- perioded
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The company grew fast during a five-year _____.
Etymology
From Greek periodos ("a circuit, a recurring interval"), from peri- ("around") + hodos ("way").
Synonyms
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Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “period” mean?
The word “period” means a stretch of time, or a particular era seen as a distinct whole. In plain terms, a stretch of time, the punctuation mark at the end of a sentence, a monthly menstrual cycle, or a segment of a game — context tells you which.
How do you pronounce “period”?
“Period” is pronounced PEER-ree-uhd (/ˈpɪɚ.i.əd/ in IPA).
How do you use “period” in a sentence?
Here is “period” used in a sentence: “The company grew fast during a five-year period.”
What is another word for “period”?
Words with a similar meaning to “period” include duration, interval, period of time, tide, time and time interval.
What is the opposite of “period”?
The opposite of “period” — its antonyms — is frequency.
What part of speech is “period”?
Depending on how it is used, “period” can be a noun and an intj.
Where does the word “period” come from?
The word “period” comes from Greek. From Greek periodos ("a circuit, a recurring interval"), from peri- ("around") + hodos ("way").
Is “period” a common word?
“Period” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between a period and an era?
The two overlap, but scale differs. A period is any measurable stretch of time, long or short — a period of rain, a period in history. An era is usually longer and defined by a dominant character, such as the Victorian era. Every era is a period, but not every period is grand enough to be called an era.
What is the difference between a period and a phase?
A period is simply a stretch of time. A phase is a period marked by a particular stage in a process or development, implying change from one state to the next — a phase of the moon, a growth phase. Every phase is a period, but a phase carries the extra sense of progression.
Can a period be any length of time?
Yes. A period has no fixed duration — it can span a few seconds, a school term, or an entire geological age. What defines it is not its length but its boundaries: a period is a portion of time viewed as one continuous, distinct unit with a recognisable beginning and end.
What is an example of a period?
Almost any bounded stretch of time qualifies: a two-week holiday period, the baroque period in music, a rest period during exercise, or the medieval period in history. The word simply marks a section of time treated as a single, recognisable whole, whether it lasts minutes or centuries.
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