Period
/ˈpɪəriəd/
Definitions
4 meaningsA length or portion of time.
/ˈpɪəriəd/
We studied the Roman period in history class.
💡 Simply: Imagine a chapter in a history book. That's like a period! It's a specific amount of time, like the time when dinosaurs lived or the time when people used typewriters. It's like saying, 'During the summer period, we went to the beach every weekend!'
👶 For kids: A period is like a chunk of time, like the time when you're in school or the time when you're on summer break.
More Examples
The exam will cover material from the last study period.
The restaurant's opening period was a huge success.
How It's Used
"The Victorian period was known for its strict social rules."
"The Renaissance period was a time of great artistic flourishing."
A punctuation mark (.) used to indicate the end of a declarative sentence or an abbreviation.
/ˈpɪəriəd/
A punctuation mark.
Make sure to put a period at the end of each sentence.
💡 Simply: Think of a period like a little dot that says, 'This is the end of my thought!' You put it at the end of a sentence to show you're done.
👶 For kids: A period is a little dot at the end of a sentence that says, 'I'm finished!'
More Examples
She forgot to add a period.
The abbreviation for 'etcetera' ends with a period: etc.
How It's Used
"Always end a sentence with a period."
"The period indicates the end of a declarative sentence."
The monthly flow of blood from the uterus.
/ˈpɪəriəd/
The monthly flow of blood from a woman's body.
Her period started yesterday.
💡 Simply: When a woman has her period, it's like her body is resetting for a new chance to have a baby. It happens every month.
👶 For kids: Sometimes, grown-up girls have a special time each month when they bleed. It's called a period.
More Examples
She's experiencing cramps during her period.
It's important to track your period for health reasons.
How It's Used
"She has a regular period."
"She's on her period this week."
A point in time.
/ˈpɪəriəd/
A point in time
We made an announcement at the end of the period.
💡 Simply: The end of something.
👶 For kids: A point in time
How It's Used
"This concludes this period."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
full stop (period)
An end or a conclusion.
"The investigation came to a full stop when they ran out of clues."
From Greek *periodos* meaning 'a cycle, a circuit,' which comes from *peri-* 'around' + *hodos* 'way, journey'. It originally referred to a circuit of time or a complete course.
Historically, 'period' was used to denote a complete cycle of time, as seen in early scientific writings and philosophical texts.
Memory tip
Think of a historical *period* like a specific era in time.