period
- 01 A1 Beginner
n.a specific amount of time.
n.a generic interval or duration of time.
Simple“The doctor told him to rest for a short period after the surgery.”
In context“The company experienced a period of rapid expansion followed by several years of consolidation and restructuring.”
- 02 A2 Elementary
n.one of the parts that a school day is divided into.
n.a division of the academic day allocated to a specific subject or activity.
Simple“We have double maths in the first period on Monday mornings.”
In context“The bell rang to signal the end of the third period, sending hundreds of students into the narrow corridors.”
- 03 A2 Elementary
n.the small dot (.) used at the end of a sentence.
n.the punctuation mark used to indicate the end of a declarative sentence or an abbreviation.
Simple“Don't forget to put a period at the end of every sentence.”
In context“The editor noted that several sentences were missing a closing period, which made the paragraph difficult to parse.”
UsageCalled a 'full stop' in British English.
Teacher's tipLearners should be aware that 'period' is the standard term in North America, while 'full stop' is used in the UK and Australia.
Synonymsfull stop - 04 B1 Intermediate
n.the monthly flow of blood from a woman's body.
n.the monthly discharge of blood and mucosal tissue from the uterus; menstruation.
Simple“She often gets bad headaches just before her period starts.”
In context“The patient reported irregular periods and significant abdominal discomfort during the first two days of her cycle.”
Synonyms - 05 B1 Intermediate
n.a particular time in history.
n.a distinct portion of history characterised by specific events, cultures, or developments.
Simple“The Victorian period saw many changes in how people lived and worked.”
In context“Archaeologists are currently excavating a site that dates back to the early Roman period in Britain.”
- 06 B1 Intermediate
n.one of the parts that a game is divided into.
n.one of the fixed intervals into which a sporting match is divided.
Simple“The home team scored three goals in the second period of the hockey game.”
In context“After a scoreless first period, the coach made several tactical adjustments to increase the team's offensive pressure.”
- 07 C1 Advanced
n.the time it takes for something to happen again and again.
n.the interval of time or space after which a periodic function or physical motion repeats itself.
Simple“The period of the earth's rotation is approximately twenty-four hours.”
In context“The physicist calculated the orbital period of the satellite to ensure it would remain in a geostationary position.”
Synonyms - 08 C1 Advanced
n.a horizontal row of elements in the periodic table.
n.a horizontal row in the periodic table of elements, representing the filling of an electron shell.
Simple“Elements in the same period have the same number of electron shells.”
In context“As you move from left to right across a period, the atomic radius typically decreases due to the increasing nuclear charge.”
Synonyms - 09 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.made to look like it belongs to a specific time in the past.
adj.belonging to or characteristic of a particular historical time, especially regarding furniture, clothing, or architecture.
Simple“The actors wore beautiful period costumes for the movie about the 1920s.”
In context“The hotel was decorated with period furniture to maintain the atmosphere of the original eighteenth-century manor house.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 10 B2 Upper Intermediate
interj.used to say that you will not discuss something anymore.
interj.used for emphasis at the end of a statement to indicate that it is final and no further discussion is permitted.
Simple“I am not going to that party, period.”
In context“The manager told the staff that safety regulations were non-negotiable, period.”
Synonymsfull stopend of story
Usage period of time · period last · period on record
From Middle English periode, from Middle French periode, from Medieval Latin periodus, from Ancient Greek περίοδος (períodos, “circuit, orbit, a recurring interval of time, path around”), from περι- (peri-, “around”) + ὁδός (hodós, “way”). Displaced native Middle English tide (“interval, period, season”), from Old English tīd (“time, period, season”), as well as Middle English elde (“age, period”), from Old English ieldu (“age, period of time”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.