Duration
djʊˈreɪʃən
Definitions
The length of time that something lasts or continues.
djʊˈreɪʃən
The time during which something lasts.
The duration of the flight was surprisingly short.
💡 Simply: It's how long something goes on. Like, the duration of a game is how long it takes to finish. Or the duration of your vacation is how many days you're gone.
👶 For kids: How long something lasts. Like how long a song plays, or how long it takes to eat your yummy snack!
More Examples
The concert had a duration of three hours.
The duration of the power outage was several days.
The duration of the experiment was carefully controlled.
How It's Used
"The duration of the movie was two hours."
"The duration of a musical note affects its perceived length."
"The duration of the contract is five years."
Idioms & expressions
for the duration
For the entire length of time.
"They promised to stay and help for the duration of the project."
From Latin *duratio* ('a lasting'), derived from *durare* ('to last, endure'), which comes from *durus* ('hard, lasting').
The word 'duration' has been used in English since the 14th century. It originally referred to the act of enduring or lasting.
Memory tip
Think of it as the 'during-ation' of something.
Word Origin
"a lasting"