Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *terh₂-?
Proto-Indo-European *ter-?
Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥
Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥
Proto-Italic *termn̥
Proto-Indo-European *-nós
Proto-Italic *-nos
Proto-Italic *term(e)nos
Latin terminus
Old French termebor.
Middle English terme
English term
From Middle English terme, borrowed from Old French terme, from Latin terminus (“a bound, boundary, limit, end; in Medieval Latin, also a time, period, word, covenant, etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥ (“stump, end, boundary”).
Doublet of terminus and termon. Old English had termen, from the same source.
Meanings
(colloquial, not-comparable) Born or delivered at term.
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *terh₂-?
Proto-Indo-European *ter-?
Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥
Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥
Proto-Italic *termn̥
Proto-Indo-European *-nós
Proto-Italic *-nos
Proto-Italic *term(e)nos
Latin terminus
Old French termebor.
Middle English terme
English term
From Middle English terme, borrowed from Old French terme, from Latin terminus (“a bound, boundary, limit, end; in Medieval Latin, also a time, period, word, covenant, etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥ (“stump, end, boundary”).
Doublet of terminus and termon. Old English had termen, from the same source.
Meanings
(qualifier:original meaning; by derivation; original meaning; by derivation) That which limits the extent of anything; limit, extremity, bound, boundary, terminus.
At the decline of day,
Winding above the mountain’s snowy term,
New banners shone: […] 1817 December, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Revolt of Islam. […]”, in [Mary] Shelley, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 268:
Corruption is a reciprocal to generation, and they two are as nature's two terms, or boundaries. 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “(please specify the page, or |century=I to X)”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC:
(often, plural) A condition or restriction. ▸ Any of the binding conditions or promises in a contract or agreement.
Be sure to read the terms and conditions before signing.
Alright, look...we can spend the holidays with your parents, but this time it will be on my terms.
(in-plural) A condition or restriction. ▸ Specifically, the conditions in a legal contract that specify the price and also how and when payment must be made.
Q: What are your company's terms? A: Net thirty, cash or check. [This answer means that the net total must be paid within 30 days; see Net D.]
The latest models are available now, on the lowest terms you'll find anywhere, guaranteed.
The Cabin is large and commodious, well calculated for the Accommodation of Paſengers. Merchandiſe, Produce, &c. carried on the loweſt Terms. 1793 May 17, John Constable and James Piper, advertisement for a packet-boat between Chestertown and Baltimore, Chestertown, Maryland, :File:Packet_Schooner.jpg
A chronological limitation or division. ▸ A limited or defined timespan.
The term allowed to a debtor to discharge his debt.
near-term, mid-term and long-term goals
He was sentenced to a term of six years in prison.
The term of a lease agreement is the period of time during which the lease is effective, and may be fixed, periodic, or of indefinite duration.
A chronological limitation or division. ▸ Duration of officeholding, or its limit; period in office of fixed length.
"To show just how much I care about the press, and because I want to save your ratings, I'm pleased to announce my intention to run for a fourth term as President of the United States," Trump told the audience. 2026 July 27, Daniel Rugunya, quoting Donald J. Trump, “Donald Trump Jokes About ‘Running For A Fourth Term’ At Rescheduled WHCD”, in Yahoo, archived from the original on 08 Aug 2026:
“I don’t believe that the people trust Netanyahu to lead when he is under the burden of such a devastating event that just happened under his term,” he told the Observer. 2023 October 22, Ruth Michaelson, quoting Ehud Barak, “Netanyahu told to ‘quit now’ as ex-leaders pin blame on dysfunctional government”, in The Observer, →ISSN:
The president is almost half way through his term.
A chronological limitation or division. ▸ The time during which legal courts are open.
A chronological limitation or division. ▸ Certain days on which rent is paid.
A chronological limitation or division. ▸ Part of a year, especially one of the divisions of an academic year.
At our school, sports day was always held at the end of the summer term.
From 1960 to 1963 I spent my terms at Cambridge University but was back home for the vacs[.] 1983, Bill Oddie, Gone Birding, London: Methuen, page 45:
A chronological limitation or division. ▸ With respect to a pregnancy, the usual duration of gestation for the given species (for example, nine months in humans); (metonymic) the end of this duration: the timepoint at which birth usually happens (for example, in humans, approximately 40 weeks from conception), defining the due date.
at term
A pregnancy didn't come to term.
preterm
postterm
(archaic) A chronological limitation or division. ▸ A menstrual period.
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, Diary:
(of a patent) A chronological limitation or division. ▸ The maximum period during which the patent can be maintained into force.
(in-plural, qualifier:usually in phrases such as on good terms and similar) Relations among people.
We are on friendly terms with each other.
Not unnaturally, “Auntie” took this communication in bad part.[…]Next day she[…]tried to recover her ward by the hair of the head. Then, thwarted, the wretched creature went to the police for help; she was versed in the law, and perhaps had spared no pains to keep on good terms with the local constabulary. 1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XLIV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC, page 361:
A unit or component with a certain meaning. ▸ A word or phrase (e.g., noun phrase, verb phrase, open compound), especially one from a specialised area of knowledge; a name for a concept.
"Algorithm" is a term used in computer science.
The noun phrase "red blood cell", the acronym "RBC", and the word "erythrocyte" are synonymous terms.
(in-plural) A unit or component with a certain meaning. ▸ A stated kind of language or terminology.
I told her in no uncertain terms that it was none of her business.
Could you explain that in layman's terms?
A unit or component with a certain meaning. ▸ Any value (variable or constant) or expression separated from another term by a space or an appropriate character, in an overall expression or table.
One only term is odd in ( 12; 3; 4 ).
All the terms of this sum cancel out.
A unit or component with a certain meaning. ▸ The subject or the predicate of a proposition; one of the three component parts of a syllogism, each one of which is used twice.
The subject and predicate of a proposition are, after Aristotle, together called its terms or extremes. a. 1857, William Hamilton, edited by H[enry] L[ongueville] Mansel and John Veitch, Lectures on Metaphysics and Logic […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), Edinburgh; London: William Blackwood and Sons, published 1859–1860, →OCLC:
An essential dignity in which unequal segments of every astrological sign have internal rulerships which affect the power and integrity of each planet in a natal chart.
(archaic) A point, line, or superficies that limits.
A line is the term of a superficies, and a superficies is the term of a solid.
A statue of the upper body, sometimes without the arms, ending in a pillar or pedestal.
You have been already informed, I have no doubt, of the subject which we have chosen: the adorning a Term of Hymen with festoons of flowers. 1773, Joshua Reynolds, edited by John Ingamells and John Edgcumbe, The Letters of Sir Joshua Reynolds, Yale, published 2000, page 42:
The pillers that haue bolſtered vp thoſe tearmes,
Are falne in cluſters at my conquering feet. c. 1587–1588 (date written), [Christopher Marlowe], Tamburlaine the Great. […] The First Part […], 2nd edition, part 1, London: […] [R. Robinson for] Richard Iones, […], published 1592, →OCLC; reprinted as Tamburlaine the Great (A Scolar Press Facsimile), Menston, Yorkshire; London: Scolar Press, 1973, →ISBN, Act III, scene iii:
A piece of carved work placed under each end of the taffrail.
es plazo (period of time, time limit) · hu terminus (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · cmn 關係 /关系 (relations among people) · eo termino (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu viszony (relations among people) · fi lukukausi (part of a year) · da betegning (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · de Klausel (limitation, restriction or regulation) · udm удыскыл (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu lejárati idő (period of time, time limit) · es vocablo (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu megkötés (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hu kondíció (limitation, restriction or regulation) · lb Begrëff (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · lt santykiai (part of a year) · ast términu (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ro expresie (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · no vilkår (limitation, restriction or regulation) · ru слага́емое (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · nl term (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ga téarmaí (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hu kifejezés (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hy ժամկետ (period of time, time limit) · hu időtartam (period of time, time limit) · da periode (period of time, time limit) · ru член (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ja 関係 (relations among people) · tl tadhana (limitation, restriction or regulation) · da mandatperiode (period in office or prison) · cs člen (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · lt ter̃minas (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · es término (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ms terma (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hi निबंधन (limitation, restriction or regulation) · uk те́рмін (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · sv beteckning (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · th คำ (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · da term (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · cop ⲫⲱⲛⲏ (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu szakszó (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · mn хугацаа (period of time, time limit) · hu ciklus (period in office or prison) · fa جمله (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ja 項 (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · hu börtönbüntetés (period in office or prison) · fr limite (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hu határidő (period of time, time limit) · ro clauză (limitation, restriction or regulation) · sco tairm (limitation, restriction or regulation) · sh odnos (relations among people) · ga téarma (part of a year) · yi זמן (period of time, time limit) · hu tag (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · da tidsfrist (period of time, time limit) · ga téarma (period of time, time limit) · lld termin (limitation, restriction or regulation) · ga téarma (limitation, restriction or regulation) · da forholdningsregel (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hi इस्तिलाह (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ja 名辞 (one of three component parts of a syllogism) · gl termo (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · it scadenza (period of time, time limit) · ja 時期 (period of time, time limit) · sah тиэрмин (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · sv term (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · sv frist (period of time, time limit) · ko 기간 (period of time, time limit) · pl warunek (limitation, restriction or regulation) · sco tairm (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · uk строк (period of time, time limit) · hu hivatali idő (szak) (period in office or prison) · ru срок полномо́чий (period in office or prison) · gl prazo (period of time, time limit) · ca terme (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ro termen (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · sv villkor (limitation, restriction or regulation) · ja 期限 (period of time, time limit) · ru усло́вие (limitation, restriction or regulation) · ja 用語 (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ro cuvânt (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · cy tymor (part of a year) · vec tèrmine (limitation, restriction or regulation) · sk doba (period in office or prison) · fr mandat (period in office or prison) · te నిబంధన (limitation, restriction or regulation) · fi termi (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · cmn 被加數 /被加数 (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · it termine (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ar اِصْطِلَاح (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu szakkifejezés (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · vec paròla (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hi शर्त (limitation, restriction or regulation) · it termine (limitation, restriction or regulation) · tl takay (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · uk чве́рть (part of a year) · ja 言葉 (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · id syarat (limitation, restriction or regulation) · sv tidsfrist (period of time, time limit) · is liður (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · gl termo (period of time, time limit) · da frist (period of time, time limit) · fr durée (period of time, time limit) · sk termín (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · tr terim (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ja 学期 (part of a year) · pl termin (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · sv begrepp (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · bg усло́вие (limitation, restriction or regulation) · fi kausi (period of time, time limit) · tr terim (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · nl term (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · bg срок (period of time, time limit) · et liidetav (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · tl tawag (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu ülésszak (period of time, time limit) · ru че́тверть (part of a year) · ru те́рмин (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ja 間柄 (relations among people) · vec paroła (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · el θητεία (period of time, time limit) · ja 人間関係 (relations among people) · pt prazo (period of time, time limit) · da led (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · bg лични отношения (relations among people) · lt kadencija (period in office or prison) · lt ter̃minas (period of time, time limit) · de Amtszeit (period in office or prison) · de Terminus (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ja 期間 (period of time, time limit) · sv period (period of time, time limit) · nrf gestion (period in office or prison) · fi välit (relations among people) · sv term (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · el τρίμηνο (part of a year) · be тэ́рмін (period of time, time limit) · ca mandat (period in office or prison) · cmn 術語 /术语 (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · fr terme (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · pt termo (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu félév (part of a year) · ja 刑期 (period in office or prison) · be чвэрць (part of a year) · sk podmienka (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hu terminus (period in office or prison) · ro condiție (limitation, restriction or regulation) · udm термин (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ca terme (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · hu feltétel (limitation, restriction or regulation) · el όρος (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · sv mandatperiod (period in office or prison) · hu határnap (period of time, time limit) · da fod (relations among people) · nb term (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu harmadév (part of a year) · hu negyedév (part of a year) · sh tromjesečje (part of a year) · fa واژه (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · et suhe (relations among people) · lt sąlyga (limitation, restriction or regulation) · kmr zarav (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · et mõiste (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ja 述語 (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · sv klausul (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hu tartam (period of time, time limit) · vi điều kiện (limitation, restriction or regulation) · be умо́ва (limitation, restriction or regulation) · fr expression (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ms istilah (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · lt tárpas (relations among people) · hu terminus (one of three component parts of a syllogism) · fa اصطلاح (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ca terme (limitation, restriction or regulation) · fi ehto (limitation, restriction or regulation) · et poolaasta (part of a year) · gl termo (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · it termine (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · de Term (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · hu idő (period of time, time limit) · cy tymor (period of time, time limit) · nl begrip (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · es condiciones (limitation, restriction or regulation) · ko 용어 (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu kapcsolat (relations among people) · zdj lafdhwi (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · mk услов (limitation, restriction or regulation) · cy term (period of time, time limit) · hu terminus technicus (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · uk те́рмін (period of time, time limit) · ko 조건 (limitation, restriction or regulation) · pl wyraz (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · be адно́сіны (relations among people) · ru срок (period of time, time limit) · yi זמן (part of a year) · hu összeadandó (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ko 말 (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ar شَرْط (limitation, restriction or regulation) · fr terme (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · be тэ́рмін (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · cs termín (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · bg семестър (part of a year) · hu szabadságvesztés (period in office or prison) · de Haftstrafe (period in office or prison) · ar مُصْطَلَح (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · et tingimus (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hy տերմին (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · az termin (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ko 학기 (part of a year) · fr mot (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ml നിബന്ധന (limitation, restriction or regulation) · cmn 用語 /用语 (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hi जुमला (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · sk výraz (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu kikötés (limitation, restriction or regulation) · id istilah (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · cs výraz (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ja 任期 (period in office or prison) · hu trimeszter (part of a year) · tl taning (period of time, time limit) · ko 관계 (relations among people) · sk doba (period of time, time limit) · sv termin (part of a year) · fi termi (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · el θητεία (period in office or prison) · pl określenie (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · bg период (period of time, time limit) · pt termo (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · da vilkår (limitation, restriction or regulation) · fi toimikausi (period in office or prison) · ja 有効期間 (period of time, time limit) · sk termín (period of time, time limit) · ru отноше́ние (relations among people) · da begreb (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · pt termo (limitation, restriction or regulation) · da klausul (limitation, restriction or regulation) · es términos (limitation, restriction or regulation) · et termin (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · de Beziehung (relations among people) · hu időszak (period of time, time limit) · de Bezeichnung (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hy եզրույթ (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · cmn 條件 /条件 (limitation, restriction or regulation) · de Frist (period of time, time limit) · th ศัพท์ (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · nb fot (relations among people) · nn term (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · uk відно́сини (relations among people) · ast términu (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · uk строк (period in office or prison) · hu kifejezés (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · uk умо́ва (limitation, restriction or regulation) · ja 条件 (limitation, restriction or regulation) · ga téarma (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · gl termo (limitation, restriction or regulation) · fi suhde (relations among people) · mi karangatanga (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · de Begriff (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · cs podmínka (limitation, restriction or regulation) · sv fot (relations among people) · lld terminn (limitation, restriction or regulation) · lt ter̃minas (one of three component parts of a syllogism) · vec tèrmine (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · cmn 學期 /学期 (part of a year) · bg член (one of the addends in a sum or in another mathematical operation) · ro limită (limitation, restriction or regulation) · he מונח (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · ru срок (period in office or prison) · ga téarmaí (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · lt terminas (limitation, restriction or regulation) · te షరతు (limitation, restriction or regulation) · hu terminus (period of time, time limit) · sv förhållningsregel (limitation, restriction or regulation) · udm нимкыл (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · nl voet (relations among people) · bg срок (period in office or prison) · sh kvartal (part of a year) · cmn 期間 /期间 (period of time, time limit) · tl taning (part of a year) · hy եզր (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · de Gefängnisstrafe (period in office or prison) · es término (word or phrase, especially one from a specialised area of knowledge) · hu szemeszter (part of a year) · pl kadencja (period in office or prison) · ab аԥҟара (limitation, restriction or regulation)
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *terh₂-?
Proto-Indo-European *ter-?
Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥
Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥
Proto-Italic *termn̥
Proto-Indo-European *-nós
Proto-Italic *-nos
Proto-Italic *term(e)nos
Latin terminus
Old French termebor.
Middle English terme
English term
From Middle English terme, borrowed from Old French terme, from Latin terminus (“a bound, boundary, limit, end; in Medieval Latin, also a time, period, word, covenant, etc.”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *térmn̥ (“stump, end, boundary”).
Doublet of terminus and termon. Old English had termen, from the same source.
Meanings
(transitive) To phrase a certain way; to name or call.
The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone, essentially what today we might term a frameless magnifying glass or plain glass paperweight. 2013 September-October, Henry Petroski, “The Evolution of Eyeglasses”, in American Scientist:
Abstraction or prescision ought to be carefully distinguished from two other modes of mental separation, which may be termed discrimination and dissociation. 1867, Charles Sanders Peirce, On a New List of Categories: