term

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noun

ˈtərm

: a word or expression that has a precise meaning in some uses or is peculiar to a science, art, profession, or subject

legal terms

terms plural : expression of a specified kind

described in glowing terms

: a limited or definite extent of time

especially : the time for which something lasts : duration, tenure

term of office

lost money in the short term

: the whole period for which an estate is granted

also : the estate or interest held by one for a term

: the time during which a court is in session

: division in a school year during which instruction is regularly given to students

terms plural : provisions that determine the nature and scope of an agreement : conditions

terms of sale

liberal credit terms

terms plural

: mutual relationship : footing

on good terms

: agreement, concord

come to terms after extensive negotiations

: a state of acceptance or understanding

came to terms with the failure of his marriage

: the time at which a pregnancy of normal length terminates

had her baby at full term

: end, termination

also : a point in time assigned to something (such as a payment)

: a unitary or compound expression connected with another by a plus or minus sign

: an element of a fraction or proportion or of a series or sequence

: any of the three substantive elements of a syllogism

: a quadrangular pillar often tapering downward and adorned on the top with the figure of a head or the upper part of the body

term

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verb

termed; terming; terms

transitive verb

: to apply a term to : call, name

Phrases

in terms of

: with respect to or in relation to

thinks of everything in terms of money

on one's own terms

: in accordance with one's wishes : in one's own way

prefers to live on his own terms

Example Sentences

Noun “I had the feeling that I had been there before.” “The term for that is ‘déjà vu.’” That's an outdated term that no one uses anymore. He spoke about them in glowing terms. The law had been understood in broad terms. The governor will run for a second term. He is currently serving his third term in the U.S. Senate. He was sentenced to a ten-year term in the state penitentiary. The term of the contract is 60 months. His grades have improved since last term. English 122 is not offered this term. Verb They termed the structure a “double helix.” The project was termed a success. See More

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Overall, energy savings in the amount of $48.4 million are anticipated over the term of the solar contracts.

Laura Groch, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Nov. 2022 Before the 2020 election, Olshansky published a paper that predicted Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump were bound to maintain their good health beyond the end of this presidential term.

Arkansas Online, 20 Nov. 2022 Penal colony is a term used to describe the most common type of prison in Russia, where inmates are housed in barracks and engage in menial labor for symbolic pay.

Joanna Kozlowska, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Nov. 2022 Long term, Sharp said the FBI is looking at potentially having 5,000 employees by 2028 at Redstone.

Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 20 Nov. 2022 Reagan survived an assassination attempt by gunshot in 1981 during his first-term and later surgery to remove a cancerous polyp in his large intestine in 1985.

Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 20 Nov. 2022 But the term has accommodated more melanated members too.

Arabelle Sicardi, Allure, 19 Nov. 2022 For lack of a better term, these guys like to have fun.

Evan Romano, Men's Health, 19 Nov. 2022 And constructing is the operative term — as are synonyms like building, fabricating and erecting.

Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 19 Nov. 2022

Verb

Rendon, whose seven years as speaker marked the longest tenure since the 1990s, will term out of office in 2024.

Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2022 China has refused to criticize Moscow’s aggression or even term it an invasion, while condemning Western sanctions against Russia and accusing the U.S. and NATO of provoking the conflict.

Mark Schiefelbein, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 July 2022 Beijing has so far declined to criticize Russia or even to term its actions in Ukraine an invasion, expressing sympathy with the security concerns Moscow has cited as among the reasons for the military assault.

Alex Leary And Lingling Wei, WSJ, 18 Mar. 2022 As laid out in a TIME examination of the case, their common account has since been contradicted by forensic evidence gathered by Franklin’s family, who term his death an assassination.

Karl Vick, Time, 7 Oct. 2021 In those critical pre-landfall hours, the storm underwent a process that scientists term rapid intensification — and this is where warming temperatures plays a pivotal role in generating more powerful hurricanes.

chicagotribune.com, 31 Aug. 2021 To put it mildly, this is not a great way to embark on the road towards a ‘new world order’ as many politicians now term it, or the building of the post COVID economy.

Mike O'sullivan, Forbes, 29 May 2021 Vogel said James came out of Monday's practice fine and would not term Tuesday's absence as precautionary.

Joe Reedy, Star Tribune, 11 May 2021 It’s that experienced depth that has caused head coach Kane Wommack to term the defensive line the leaders of the South Alabama defense.

Creg Stephenson | Cstephenson@al.com, al, 9 Apr. 2021 See More

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

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English terme, from Anglo-French, from Latin terminus boundary marker, limit; akin to Greek termōn boundary, end, Sanskrit tarman top of a post

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 6b

Verb

1545, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of term was in the 13th century

See more words from the same century