period
/ˈpɪə.ɹi.əd/
Word Rarity
Common
Frequency: Zipf frequency 5.21 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
3
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The punctuation mark “.” (indicating the ending of a sentence or marking an abbreviation).
Canadian usage; American usage
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.
noun
Female menstruation; an episode of this.
noun
Female menstruation; an episode of this.
noun
A section of an artist's, writer's (etc.) career distinguished by a given quality, preoccupation etc.
Example Sentences
- "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.""
- "Food rationing continued in the post-war period."
- "With some of it on the south and more of it on the north of the great main thoroughfare that connects Aldgate and the East India Docks, St. Bede's at this period of its history was perhaps the poorest and most miserable parish in the East End of London."
- "Sung Yung-hsi of Ch’u-hsiung was a government student during the Chia-ch’ing period."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *per-der. Ancient Greek περῐ́ (perĭ́) Proto-Indo-European *sed-der. Proto-Indo-European *sodós? Proto-Hellenic *hodós Ancient Greek ὁδός (hodós) Ancient Greek περῐ́οδος (perĭ́odos)lbor. Medieval Latin periodusbor. Middle French periodebor. Middle English periode English period 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”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: periode, periodus, περίοδος
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈpɪə.ɹi.əd/
- British English: /ˈpɪə.ɹi.əd/
Usage
Inflected Forms
periods (plural)
per. (alternative, abbreviation)
periods (present, singular)
perioding (participle, present)
perioded (participle, past)
perioded (past)