pe
riod
Plural
periods
1
a span of time, often with a clear beginning and end
- We lived in the city for a short period.
- This period of history was marked by great change.
- She stayed abroad for a long period.
- The exam will last for a two-hour period.
- Childhood is an important period in personal development.
Synonyms:
2
the symbol (.) used to end a declarative sentence or mark an abbreviation
A period (.) is a punctuation mark used to indicate the end of a sentence. It signals that a thought or statement has been completed, allowing readers to pause before moving on to the next idea. For example, in the sentence "She enjoys reading," the period indicates that the thought is finished. Periods are also used in abbreviations, such as "Dr." for "Doctor" or "etc." for "et cetera." By marking the conclusion of sentences and clarifying meaning, periods play an essential role in written communication.
- Don't forget to put a period at the end of the sentence.
- His initials were written as J.D., with a period after each letter.
- The teacher explained how a period is different from a comma.
- Every complete statement must end with a period.
- She underlined the period to show the mistake.
Synonyms:
3
each part into which a day is divided at a school, university, etc.
A period refers to a specific block of time during the day when a particular class or activity takes place in a school or university. Each period is usually scheduled for a set amount of time, such as 45 minutes or an hour, and is dedicated to one subject or activity. In schools, the day is typically divided into several periods, allowing students to attend different lessons or engage in various activities throughout the day. Periods help organize the school day into manageable segments, providing structure to students' learning.
- During the first period, the class focused on mathematics, tackling complex equations and problem-solving.
- The teacher announced a surprise quiz during the third period, catching the students off guard.
- In the afternoon period, the school offers elective courses such as art and music for students to explore their interests.
- The final period is often reserved for extracurricular activities or club meetings.
4
a length of time defined by the repetition of a process or phenomenon
- The Earth's rotation defines a 24-hour period.
- The pendulum swings back and forth in a fixed period.
- Interest is calculated over a monthly period.
- The comet returns every 76-year period.
- Heartbeats occur with a regular period.
5
the monthly process where the uterus sheds its lining, resulting in blood discharge
- She experienced irregular periods during her teenage years, which later became more predictable.
- Many women use menstrual products to manage their period comfortably.
- The doctor explained that stress can sometimes affect the regularity of a woman’s period.
- She tracked her period to better understand her reproductive health and cycle patterns.
- Periods are a natural part of the reproductive system, typically occurring once a month.
6
a division of geological time during which a specific set of rock layers was formed
- The Jurassic period is famous for its dinosaurs.
- Fossils from the Cambrian period reveal early life forms.
- This rock layer dates back to the Devonian period.
- The Cretaceous period ended with a mass extinction.
- The Silurian period saw the first land plants.
Synonyms:
7
the conclusion or final point of something
- Their contract came to a period last year.
- The project has reached its natural period.
- The treaty marked a period to years of conflict.
- With her resignation, that chapter of the company reached its period.
- The judge put a period to the long trial.
8
one of the three equal divisions of play in hockey, each lasting typically 20 minutes
A period is one of the three sections that make up a hockey game. Each period lasts 20 minutes of playing time, with a break in between periods for rest, strategy discussions, and ice maintenance. If the game is tied at the end of the three periods, there may be overtime or a shootout to determine the winner. The length and structure of periods help organize the flow of the game, with each team trying to outscore the other within the allotted time.
- They scored three goals in the first period of the game.
- Scoring in the opening period set the tone for the rest of the game.
- She played aggressively in the final period to secure the win.
- His team dominated possession throughout the second period.
- Players returned to the ice for the start of the second period.
9
a recurring interval or length associated with a mathematical function or pattern
- The period of a trigonometric function is the length of the interval over which the function repeats its values.
- The period of a periodic function is the smallest positive value of p for which f(x+p)=f(x) for all x.
- When graphing a periodic function, understanding its period is crucial for accurately representing its behavior.
- In the Fourier series expansion of a function, the period plays a fundamental role in determining the coefficients of the trigonometric terms.