period

/'piəriəd/

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The word "period" is a noun and has several meanings in English, which makes it a versatile word. Here are some explanations to help you understand it better:

Basic Definition:

1. Punctuation Mark: A period (.) is a punctuation mark that is placed at the end of a declarative sentence to show that the sentence has finished. For example:

   • "I love to read." In British English, a period is sometimes called a "full stop."

2. Menstrual Cycle: In biology, a "period" refers to the monthly discharge of blood from the uterus in women who are not pregnant, usually occurring from puberty to menopause. For example:

   • "Many women experience physical changes during their period."

3. Completion: It can also mean the end or completion of something. For example:

   • "The project was difficult, but we finally put a period at the end of it."

4. Geological Time: In science, particularly geology, a "period" is a unit of time during which a system of rocks formed, like the Jurassic period.

5. Sports: In sports like ice hockey, a "period" refers to one of the three divisions of play in a game. For example:

   • "The teams played hard in the first period."

6. Time Duration: It can refer to a specific amount of time or a time frame, such as "a period of 30 years." For example:

   • "The artist had a blue period when he painted mostly in blue tones."

Usage Instructions:

• Use "period" when you want to indicate a full stop in writing or when discussing the monthly cycle in women.
• When talking about time frames or geological history, "period" can help specify the duration or era.

Advanced Usage:

• You might see "period" used in more complex sentences, such as:
  • "The Renaissance period was a crucial time for art and culture in Europe."
  • "After a long discussion, he placed a period on the matter, indicating it was settled."

Word Variants:

• Periodic (adjective): Relating to something that occurs at regular intervals. Example: "She has periodic check-ups with her doctor."

Different Meanings:

• As mentioned, "period" can mean different things depending on the context, from punctuation to time frames and biological cycles.

Synonyms:

• For "punctuation mark": full stop
• For menstrual cycle: monthly cycle or menstruation
• For completion: end, conclusion
• For time duration: span, interval, era

Idioms and Phrasal Verbs:

• "Period" in idioms: You may hear phrases like "That's the end of that period," meaning a discussion or argument is finished.

Academic

Noun

1. a punctuation mark (.) placed at the end of a declarative sentence to indicate a full stop or after abbreviations
   • in England they call a period a stop
2. the monthly discharge of blood from the uterus of nonpregnant women from puberty to menopause
   • the women were sickly and subject to excessive menstruation
   • a woman does not take the gout unless her menses be stopped--Hippocrates
   • the semen begins to appear in males and to be emitted at the same time of life that the catamenia begin to flow in females--Aristotle
3. the end or completion of something
   • death put a period to his endeavors
   • a change soon put a period to my tranquility
4. a unit of geological time during which a system of rocks formed
   • ganoid fishes swarmed during the earlier geological periods
5. (ice hockey) one of three divisions into which play is divided in hockey games
6. the interval taken to complete one cycle of a regularly repeating phenomenon
7. an amount of time
   • a time period of 30 years
   • hastened the period of time of his recovery
   • Picasso's blue period

Synonyms

• point
• full stop
• stop
• full point
• menstruation
• menses
• menstruum
• catamenia
• flow
• geological period
• time period
• period of time