period English · revision 2543

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1413|origins=grc περίοδος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈpɪə.ri.əd/, US /ˈpɪr.i.əd/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|periode]] (also [[m|enm|pariode]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) [[bor|frm|periode]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) and directly from [[la-med|periodus|t=recurring portion, cycle]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[la|periodus|t=a complete sentence; the cycle of the Greek games]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) from [[grc|περίοδος|tr=períodos|t=circuit, cycle, orbit; rounded sentence]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966) literally “a going around”, formed from [[m|grc|περί|tr=perí|t=around]] and [[m|grc|ὁδός|tr=hodós|t=way, journey]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(Klein 1966) The AHD explains that Greek ''períodos'' in rhetoric meant a group of words related in grammar and sense, and in Medieval Latin it came to mean the punctuation mark at the end of such a group.^(AHD 2000) It is related to [[episode]], [[exodus]] and [[method]].^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A course or extent of time, the time during which something runs its course: 1413;^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Etymonline gives the early 15th century, also for the cycle of recurrence of a disease.^(Etymonline)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The idea of a repeated cycle of events led to that of an interval of time.^(Etymonline) The sense “portion of time” is from the early 16th century,^(Cresswell 2021) and an indefinite part of a continuing state or series of events from 1712.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A round of years marked by the recurrence of astronomical events is from 1613,^(OED 1989) and the time of a revolution of a heavenly body by 1727.^(Etymonline) The time during which a disease runs its course is from 1543.^(OED 1989) Menstruation is a ''period'' by 1829, probably short for ''period of menstruation'' (1808).^(Etymonline) In rhetoric a ''period'' was a complete sentence, then from the 1580s the full pause at the end of it,^(Etymonline) and about 1600 the dot that marks the end of a sentence;^(Etymonline) the AHD dates this sense to 1609.^(AHD 2000) ''Word Origins'' notes that this sense is now chiefly American, the British using ''full stop''.^(Cresswell 2021) A portion of the school day set apart for a lesson is from 1876,^(Etymonline) and a division of a game from 1898.^(Etymonline) The adjective, as in ''period costume'', is from 1905,^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and ''period piece'' from 1911.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1413 – a course or extent of time.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1543 – the course of a disease.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1580s – a full pause at the end of a sentence.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1600 – the punctuation mark.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1613 – an astronomical cycle.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1712 – a portion of history.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1829 – menstruation.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1876 – a lesson in school.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1898 – a division of a game.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1905 – adjective.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An interval of time marked by a certain condition or event.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A distinct age or [[era]] of history or culture.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(geology)'' A unit of time longer than an [[epoch]] and shorter than an era.^(AHD)

+ # A portion of time into which a school day or a game is divided.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(physics)'' The time taken by one complete cycle of a regular motion.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # An instance of [[menstruation]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(chiefly US)'' A [[full stop]].^(AHD)^(Cresswell 2021)

+ # ''(rhetoric)'' A complete sentence, especially an elaborate one.^(AHD)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or representing a certain historical time: ''period furniture''.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[periodical]]

+ * [[photoperiod]]

+ * [[subperiod]]

+ * [[periodization]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[periodic]]

+ * [[periodicity]]

+ * [[episode]]

+ * [[exodus]]

+ * [[method]]

+ * [[odometer]]

+ * [[synod]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary compares ''period'', the most general term, with ''epoch'', ''era'', ''age'' and ''term''.^(AHD)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}