period
Dot stopping sentences
An idea implicit in many meanings of period is occurrence in cycles—in other words, periodicity.
A period is typically a demarcated length of time with particular characteristics: a mating period, a period of calm.
If you wonder why the dot at the end of sentence is called a period (in American English), think of that period as punctuating a cycle of sentences.
As an adjective, period typically refers to a period of time in the somewhat distant past that is made more specific by context: a new period drama from the BBC; She’s redone her living room in period furniture.
Terminal punctuation mark
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- grammarLanguage's structural rules
- syntaxRules for arranging words
- clauseProvision in agreement
comma · semicolon · colon · exclamation mark · question mark · ellipsis · dash · parentheses
Distinct historical period
- ageDuration of existence
- eraDistinct historical period
- renaissancePeriod of renewed vitality
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
victorian · baroque · enlightenment · colonial · industrial · romantic · classical · dynasty
Repeating sequence of events
- crampsInvoluntary muscle tightening
- PMSPre-period symptom cluster
- tamponAbsorbent plug for menstruation
- padCushioned writing surface
bleeding · ovulation · hormones · fertility · reproductive · menarche · dysmenorrhea · menopause
Dinosaur-dominated geological period
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
- PrecambrianEarliest geological eon
Devonian · Carboniferous · Permian · Silurian · Ordovician · Holocene · Pleistocene · Miocene
Distance between endpoints
- intervalDuration between two points
- stretchPull to extend
- lengthMeasure of extent
- phaseDistinct period in sequence
stage · term · season · quarter · semester · cycle · gap · hiatus
full stop
Terminal punctuation mark
- sentenceComplete thought, grammatically
- grammarLanguage's structural rules
- syntaxRules for arranging words
clause · comma · semicolon · colon · exclamation mark · question mark · ellipsis · dash · parentheses · apostrophe
epoch
Distinct historical period
- ageDuration of existence
- eraDistinct historical period
- renaissancePeriod of renewed vitality
medieval · victorian · baroque · enlightenment · colonial · industrial · romantic · classical · dynasty · empire
cycle
Repeating sequence of events
- crampsInvoluntary muscle tightening
- PMSPre-period symptom cluster
- tamponAbsorbent plug for menstruation
pad · bleeding · ovulation · hormones · fertility · reproductive · menarche · dysmenorrhea · menopause · spotting
Jurassic
Dinosaur-dominated geological period
- CretaceousFinal Mesozoic period
- TriassicFirst Mesozoic period
- CambrianEarliest Paleozoic period
Precambrian · Devonian · Carboniferous · Permian · Silurian · Ordovician · Holocene · Pleistocene · Miocene · Paleocene
span
Distance between endpoints
phase · stage · term · season · quarter · semester · cycle · gap · hiatus · intermission
movement
Change in position
- symphonyExtended composition for orchestra
- sonataMulti-movement instrumental composition
- concertoSolo-and-orchestra composition
coda · prelude · intermezzo · aria · overture · recessional · fanfare · suite · opus · passage
semester
Half academic year
class · lecture · recess · finals · midterms · enrollment · syllabus · grading · school year · session
- historyancient civilizations, past events, historian, epochs, era
- languagelanguage, word, words, grammar, spelling
- time conceptsclock, calendar, hour, minute, second
- Americanismsaluminum, fixin' to, apartment, howdy, candy
- conversation enderscase closed, end of story, final word, last word, that settles it
- cycleslife cycle, cycle, circle of life, cycles, rhythms
periodeternity
Boundless temporal existence
infinity · perpetuity · endlessness · everlasting · forever
periodquestion mark
Interrogative sentence ender
maybe · perhaps · tentatively · possibly · open question
- grace periodAllowed delay before consequences
- periodic tableSystematic display of elements
- trial periodTemporary testing interval
- waiting periodRequired delay before proceeding
- honeymoon periodInitial uncritical enthusiasm stage
- time periodBounded stretch of duration
perimeter, periodic, periods, peripheral, periphery, periodically, periodical, periscope, peripatetic