duration
Americannoun
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the length of time something continues or exists (often used withthe ).
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continuance in time.
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(in the philosophy of Bergson) a temporal continuum, intuitively known, within which the élan vital operates.
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of duration
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Medieval Latin dūrātiōn-, stem of dūrātiō, from Latin dūrāt(us) “lasted” (past participle of dūrāre “to last”; see dure 2) + -iō -ion
Explanation
Duration is how long something lasts, from beginning to end. A duration might be long, such as the duration of a lecture series, or short, as the duration of a party. The noun duration has come to mean the length of time one thing takes to be completed. The duration of something might be known or not — in past times, the unknown length of time the current war would last was called "the duration. "Musical notes, such as whole notes, half notes, and quarter notes, have different set durations, or lengths of time for which they are held. These varying durations, when put together, create the rhythm of the music.
Vocabulary lists containing duration
Abraham Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address (1865)
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
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Word Generation Weekly - Series 3
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Team Melli will be based in Tijuana for the duration of the tournament, but all three of their group stage matches are due to be held in the United States.
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
It also did not account for treatment duration, genetic risk factors, cancer stage, or tumor subtype.
From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026
The estate is not the King's private property but belongs to the monarch for the duration of their reign.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
In fact for much of the show’s duration evidence of serious mental instability is hard to detect among the young women Susanna finds herself living with.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
In the heart of Tokyo is the secure neighborhood of Mejiro, where a gated estate of luxury quarters house Warcross teams for the duration of the tournament.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
