period

noun

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pe·ri·od | \ ˈpir-ē-əd

Definition of period

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : the completion of a cycle, a series of events, or a single action : conclusion

2a(1) : an utterance from one full stop to another : sentence

(2) : a well-proportioned sentence of several clauses

(3) : periodic sentence

b : a musical structure or melodic section usually composed of two or more contrasting or complementary phrases and ending with a cadence

3a : the full pause with which the utterance of a sentence closes

b : end, stop

4 obsolete : goal, purpose

5a(1) : a point . used to mark the end (as of a declarative sentence or an abbreviation)

(2) —used interjectionally to emphasize the finality of the preceding statementI don't remember—period

b : a rhythmical unit in Greek verse composed of a series of two or more cola

6a : a portion of time determined by some recurring phenomenon

b(1) : the interval of time required for a cyclic motion or phenomenon to complete a cycle and begin to repeat itself

(2) : a number k that does not change the value of a periodic function f when added to the independent variable especially : the smallest such number

c : a single cyclic occurrence of menstruation

7a : a chronological division : stage

b : a division of geologic time longer than an epoch and included in an era

c : a stage of culture having a definable place in time and space

8a : one of the divisions of the academic day

b : one of the divisions of the playing time of a game

period

adjective

Definition of period (Entry 2 of 2)

: of, relating to, or representing a particular historical period period furniture period costumes

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about period

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Choose the Right Synonym for period

Noun

period, epoch, era, age mean a division of time. period may designate an extent of time of any length. periods of economic prosperity epoch applies to a period begun or set off by some significant or striking quality, change, or series of events. the steam engine marked a new epoch in industry era suggests a period of history marked by a new or distinct order of things. the era of global communications age is used frequently of a fairly definite period dominated by a prominent figure or feature. the age of Samuel Johnson

Examples of period in a Sentence

Noun We have had two power failures in a five-month period. The period between Christmas and New Year's Eve is a very busy one for us. We are studying our country's colonial period. Children go through many changes during the period of adolescence.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Removing Trump from office through impeachment may be a challenging task for lawmakers given the short period of time and apparent lack of support from Republicans in the Senate. — Shannon Larson, BostonGlobe.com, "Democrats are calling for impeachment following Trump-incited riot. Some Republicans want ‘unity’ instead," 10 Jan. 2021 With the score tied at 12 midway through the second period, Sellers picked up two fouls within about 30 seconds and went to the bench for the remainder of the quarter. — cleveland, "Aurora displays winning depth with 51-43 girls basketball triumph over Magnificat," 10 Jan. 2021 Michigan’s first day of the second semester is Jan. 19; West Bloomfield’s first semester marking period ends Jan. 22. — Brad Emons, Detroit Free Press, "West Bloomfield star Donovan Edwards putting Michigan football on hold for MHSAA title run," 10 Jan. 2021 An especially violent 16-hour period in New Orleans saw a woman fatally shot and seven people wounded in separate crimes, police said Saturday. — Staff Report, NOLA.com, "In 16 hours, New Orleans shootings kill one, wound seven, police say," 9 Jan. 2021 Those individuals remain in their mandatory quarantine period, the school said. — Ron Kroichick, SFChronicle.com, "San Jose State coronavirus outbreak: 13 cases in Spartans football program," 7 Jan. 2021 The Story of QAnon and the 2nd American Revolution—was laying forth the latest of a slew of conspiracy theories that have unfolded in the simmering, fallow period since Election Day. — Talia Lavin, The New Republic, "The Violent Crescendo of the MAGA Conspiracies," 6 Jan. 2021 But as her plane touched down in Hong Kong on Christmas morning, an announcement came over the loudspeaker: The government overnight had extended the quarantine period from two weeks to three, effective immediately. — Vivian Wang, New York Times, "A Quarantine Nightmare: Three Weeks in a Hotel, if You Can Find One," 6 Jan. 2021 As part of the move to March 14, the SAG Awards extended this year’s eligibility period by two months, including all works exhibited or broadcast between Jan. 1, 2020, and Feb. 28, 2021. — Paul Grein, Billboard, "Grammys’ Rescheduled Date Conflicts With Screen Actors Guild Awards," 6 Jan. 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Season 4 of Netflix's The Crown takes the multi-period historical drama about Queen Elizabeth II's reign over the United Kingdom into the 1980s, including one of the weirdest wars of a violent decade. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Here's What Really Happened in the Falklands War," 4 Dec. 2020 Later, in the second quarter, officials talked with both coaches during the mid-period hydration timeout. — Chris Dabe, NOLA.com, "Destrehan rides four second-half touchdowns to beat East St. John, move into district 7-5A lead," 30 Oct. 2020 Buyers can opt for a variety of non-period modifications. — Mike Duff, Car and Driver, "A Legend Revived: GTO Engineering's Ferrari 250 GT SWB Competizione Replica," 8 Sep. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'period.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

15 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Period.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/period. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for period

period

noun

English Language Learners Definition of period

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a length of time during which a series of events or an action takes place or is completed

: a length of time that is very important in the history of the world, a nation, etc.

: a time that is very important in the life of a person

period

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of period (Entry 2 of 2)

: of, relating to, or typical of a particular time in history

See the full definition for period in the English Language Learners Dictionary

period

noun

pe·ri·od | \ ˈpir-ē-əd

Kids Definition of period

1 : a punctuation mark . used chiefly to mark the end of a declarative sentence or an abbreviation

2 : a portion of time set apart by some quality a period of cool weather

3 : a portion of time that forms a stage in history the colonial period

4 : one of the divisions of a school day I have math second period.

5 : a single occurrence of menstruation

Choose the Right Synonym for period

period and age mean a portion of time. period can be used of any portion of time, no matter how long or short. We waited a period of five minutes. A new period of space exploration has begun. age is used of a longer period of time that is associated with an important person or outstanding thing. I'm reading about the age of Thomas Jefferson. We live in the computer age.