duration
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the length of time that something continues or lasts.
the period of time during which something continues to exist or occur. Uncountable in its general sense, though countable when referring to specific intervals.
Simple“The duration of the flight is about three hours from London to Rome.”
In context“The researchers monitored the duration of the symptoms to determine if the new medication significantly shortened the recovery period for the patients.”
UsageOften follows 'for the' to indicate the entire length of an event.
- 02 C1 Advanced
the entire time until a situation, like a war or a project, is finished.
the full period of time until a current, often difficult, situation concludes. Usually used with the definite article.
Simple“The family moved to the countryside for the duration of the war.”
In context“The temporary restrictions remained in place for the duration of the emergency, only being lifted once the authorities declared the area safe.”
UsageCommonly appears in the fixed phrase 'for the duration'.
- 03 C2 Proficiency
a way to measure how much a bond's price changes when interest rates move.
a measure of the sensitivity of the price of a fixed-income investment to a change in interest rates, expressed as a number of years.
Simple“Investors look at duration to understand the risk of their bond portfolio.”
In context“As interest rates began to climb, the fund manager reduced the portfolio's duration to protect the capital from significant price declines.”
UsageUsed as a technical metric in investment banking and portfolio management.
Synonymsmacaulay durationsensitivity
Usage limited duration
“However, current versions are limited in offering precise control over the timing and duration of gene expression.”
“Typically, the rulers agreed to supply a certain number of troops for a set amount of money that would keep flowing for the duration of the war, plus another one or two years.”
From Middle English duracioun, from late Old French duracion, from Medieval Latin dūrātiō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.