term

SayTURM/tɝm/UK/tɜːm/

Pluralterms

Verbterms, terming, termed

20 meanings of term

Practice

1
technical wordnouncountable
A word or phrase that names something, especially in a particular field of knowledge.
Like a name tag that tells you exactly what something is.
Doctors often use a Latin term for a part of the body.
Some legal terms are hard for ordinary people to understand.
UsageSay a term for something: a medical term for an illness.
Similarword, expression, designation
Note
2
nouncountable
A fixed length of time that something lasts, such as a loan, an insurance policy, or a patent.
Like a timer that runs for a set number of minutes before it stops.
We signed up for a gym membership with a one-year term.
The two sides set a short term for the ceasefire.
UsageSay for a term of one year. In the long term means over a long time.
Similarperiod, duration, span
Note
3
time in officenouncountable
The fixed length of time someone holds a public office.
Like a turn in a game that lasts a set time before the next player takes over.
The president serves a four-year term.
She won a second term as mayor.
UsageSay a leader serves a term or wins a second term.
Similartenure, stint
Note
4
nouncountable
The rules or conditions of an agreement, such as what each side must do or how much to pay and when.
Like one of the rules in a game that everyone agrees to follow.
Read every term before you sign the contract.
One term in the contract says no pets are allowed in the apartment.
UsageUsually terms: read the terms and conditions.
Similarcondition, provision, clause, stipulation
5
nouncountable
One of the parts of the year when a school, college, or court is open and working.
Like cutting the school year into a few pieces, with each piece a term.
The spring term begins in January.
Most schools divide the year into three terms.
UsageSay this term or next term for a part of the school year.
Similarsemester, session
6
relationsnoun
The way people get along with each other.
Like how well two friends are getting along right now.
The two neighbors are on friendly terms again.
After the argument, they were no longer on speaking terms.
UsageSay on good terms or on friendly terms with someone.
Similarfooting, relations
7
give a nameverbtransitive
To give something a name or describe it in a certain way.
Like sticking a label on something to say what it is.
Doctors term this condition a mild infection.
Critics termed the movie a complete failure.
UsageSay term something a name, with no as: critics termed it a failure.
Similarcall, name, label, dub, designate
Note
8
mathnouncountable
One of the parts of a math expression that are separated by plus or minus signs.
Like one block in a row of blocks, with plus and minus signs between them.
In the sum x plus y, each term is a single letter.
You can move a term to the other side of the equation.
UsageTerms can cancel out or combine. Like terms have the same letters and powers.
Note

Less common meanings

9
end of pregnancynoununcountable
The normal length of a pregnancy, or the time when a baby is due to be born.
Like a fruit that is ripe and ready to be picked.
The baby was born right at term.
Most human pregnancies reach term at about nine months.
UsageSay a pregnancy goes to full term, or a baby is born at term.
Note
10
on-time babyadjective
Born at the normal end of a full pregnancy.
Like fruit picked when it is fully ripe, not early.
The term baby was healthy and a good weight.
Their baby was term and needed no special care.
Oppositepremature
Note
11
logicnouncountable
In logic, a main part of a statement: the thing talked about or what is said about it.
Like the two ends of a sentence that a logic puzzle connects.
In "All cats are animals," the term "cats" is the subject.
A simple statement links two terms together.
Note
12
verbcolloquialtransitive or intransitive
To end something, especially to fire a worker or delete someone's online account.
Like getting cut from a team you used to play on.
They threatened to term him for showing up late again.
Management termed three workers without any warning.
UsageMostly said at work. In writing, fire is clearer.
Similarterminate, fire, dismiss, sack
Oppositehire
13
nounarchaic
A woman's monthly menstrual bleeding.
My wife, after the absence of her terms for seven weeks, gave me hopes of her being with child, but on the last day of the year she hath them again.
1660, Samuel Pepys, DiaryHere, terms means a woman's monthly menstrual periods.
Note
14
nounarchaic
The end, edge, or limit of something.
Corruption is a reciprocal to generation, and they two are as nature's two terms, or boundaries.
1627, Francis [Bacon], Sylua Syluarum
15
noun
Set days of the year when rent must be paid.
16
nouncolloquial
A person who has lost their job.
17
nouncolloquial
A program that acts like an old-style computer screen for typing commands.
18
noun
A statue of a person's upper body that ends in a square pillar instead of legs.
19
noun
A part of each star sign ruled by a planet, changing how strong each planet is in a birth chart.
20
noun
A piece of carved wood placed under each end of a ship's stern rail.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of term apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin terminus, meaning a boundary, limit, or end. It came into English through Old French.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Term derives ultimately from Latin terminus through Old French. en.wiktionary.org
Latin terminus means a boundary, limit, or end. en.wiktionary.org
The word entered English through Old French. en.wiktionary.org