period

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A length of time.

   There was a long period of silence after the announcement.

2. 2
   noun

   A particular stage in history or in someone's life.

   Food was rationed during the post-war period.

3. 3
   noun

   The punctuation mark (.) used at the end of a sentence; a full stop.

   Don't forget to put a period at the end of the sentence.

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”).

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