TERM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does term mean? 

• TERM (noun)
  The noun TERM has 7 senses:

1. a word or expression used for some particular thing

2. a limited period of time

3. (usually plural) a statement of what is required as part of an agreement

4. any distinct quantity contained in a polynomial

5. one of the substantive phrases in a logical proposition

6. the end of gestation or point at which birth is imminent

7. (architecture) a statue or a human bust or an animal carved out of the top of a square pillar; originally used as a boundary marker in ancient Rome

  Familiarity information: TERM used as a noun is common.

• TERM (verb)
  The verb TERM has 1 sense:

1. name formally or designate with a term

  Familiarity information: TERM used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TERM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A word or expression used for some particular thing

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

he learned many medical terms

Hypernyms ("term" is a kind of...):

word (a unit of language that native speakers can identify)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "term"):

referent (something that refers; a term that refers to another term)

Derivation:

term (name formally or designate with a term)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A limited period of time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Context example:

he left school before the end of term

Hypernyms ("term" is a kind of...):

period; period of time; time period (an amount of time)

Meronyms (parts of "term"):

midterm (middle of an academic term or a political term in office)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "term"):

prison term; sentence; time (the period of time a prisoner is imprisoned)

academic session; academic term; school term; session (the time during which a school holds classes)

incumbency; tenure; term of office (the term during which some position is held)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(usually plural) a statement of what is required as part of an agreement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

condition; strings; term

Context example:

the terms of the treaty were generous

Hypernyms ("term" is a kind of...):

statement (a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc)

Domain usage:

plural; plural form (the form of a word that is used to denote more than one)

Holonyms ("term" is a part of...):

agreement; understanding (the statement (oral or written) of an exchange of promises)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Any distinct quantity contained in a polynomial

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Context example:

the general term of an algebraic equation of the n-th degree

Hypernyms ("term" is a kind of...):

quantity (the concept that something has a magnitude and can be represented in mathematical expressions by a constant or a variable)

Sense 5

Meaning:

One of the substantive phrases in a logical proposition

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Context example:

the major term of a syllogism must occur twice

Hypernyms ("term" is a kind of...):

constituent; grammatical constituent ((grammar) a word or phrase or clause forming part of a larger grammatical construction)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "term"):

subject ((logic) the first term of a proposition)

predicate ((logic) what is predicated of the subject of a proposition; the second term in a proposition is predicated of the first term by means of the copula)

referent (the first term in a proposition; the term to which other terms relate)

relatum (a term in a proposition that is related to the referent of the proposition)

categorem; categoreme (a categorematic expression; a term capable of standing alone as the subject or predicate of a logical proposition)

major term (the term in a syllogism that is the predicate of the conclusion)

minor term (the term in a syllogism that is the subject of the conclusion)

middle term (the term in a syllogism that is common to both premises and excluded from the conclusion)

Holonyms ("term" is a part of...):

proposition ((logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false)

Sense 6

Meaning:

The end of gestation or point at which birth is imminent

Classified under:

Nouns denoting time and temporal relations

Synonyms:

full term; term

Context example:

a healthy baby born at full term

Hypernyms ("term" is a kind of...):

point; point in time (an instant of time)

Holonyms ("term" is a part of...):

gestation; gestation period (the period during which an embryo develops (about 266 days in humans))

Sense 7

Meaning:

(architecture) a statue or a human bust or an animal carved out of the top of a square pillar; originally used as a boundary marker in ancient Rome

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

term; terminal figure; terminus

Hypernyms ("term" is a kind of...):

statue (a sculpture representing a human or animal)

Domain category:

architecture (the discipline dealing with the principles of design and construction and ornamentation of fine buildings)

• TERM (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they term    ... he / she / it terms   
Past simple: termed   
Past participle: termed   
-ing form: terming   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Name formally or designate with a term

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "term" is one way to...):

be known as; call; know as; name (assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

term (a word or expression used for some particular thing)

 Context examples 

True, he is not what you would term muscular, but still he has muscles, which is more than he had when he came aboard.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

The captain come, when told that he will be pay well; and though he swear much at the first he agree to term.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The fact is, I have just begun to keep my terms, after rather a long delay.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I was among these last, but my term was not for life.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

If you still have them, and if you will be kind enough to forward them, we shall be glad to publish the entire collection on your own terms.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It is quite certain that when Mrs. Barclay left the house at half-past seven she was on good terms with her husband.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

It was during Jim Hall's third term in prison that he encountered a guard that was almost as great a beast as he.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

We want to have a good look at our neighbors before we get on visitin' terms.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Oh! he talks of you," cried Charles, "in such terms—"

(Persuasion, by Jane Austen)

My brother's heart, as you term it, on the present occasion, I assure you I can only guess at.

(Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen)