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• term
  term

  noun

  a word or group of words designating something, especially in a particular field, as atom in physics, quietism in theology, adze in carpentry, or district leader in politics.
• term.
  term.

  abbreviation

  terminal.

term

¹ American  

[turm] / tɜrm /

noun

• terms
  plural

1. a word or group of words designating something, especially in a particular field, as atom in physics, quietism in theology, adze in carpentry, or district leader in politics.

2. any word or group of words considered as a member of a construction or utterance.

3. the time or period through which something lasts.

4. a period of time to which limits have been set.

   elected for a term of four years.

5. one of two or more divisions of a school year, during which instruction is regularly provided.

6. an appointed or set time or date, as for the payment of rent, interest, wages, etc.

7. terms,

   1. conditions with regard to payment, price, charge, rates, wages, etc..

      reasonable terms.

   2. conditions or stipulations limiting what is proposed to be granted or done.

      the terms of a treaty.

   3. footing or standing; relations.

      on good terms with someone.

   4. Obsolete. state, situation, or circumstances.

8. Algebra, Arithmetic.

   1. each of the members of which an expression, a series of quantities, or the like, is composed, as one of two or more parts of an algebraic expression.

   2. a mathematical expression of the form axp, axpyq, etc., where a, p, and q are numbers and x and y are variables.

9. Logic.

   1. the subject or predicate of a categorical proposition.

   2. the word or expression denoting the subject or predicate of a categorical proposition.

10. Also called terminus. a figure, especially of Terminus, in the form of a herm, used by the ancient Romans as a boundary marker; terminal figure.

11. Law.

    1. an estate or interest in land or the like, to be enjoyed for a fixed period.

    2. the duration of an estate.

    3. each of the periods during which certain courts of law hold their sessions.

12. completion of pregnancy; parturition.

13. Archaic.

    1. end, conclusion, or termination.

    2. boundary or limit.

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verb (used with object)

• terms,
  present (3rd person singular)
• termed,
  past participle,  past
• terming
  present participle

1. to apply a particular term or name to; name; call; designate.

idioms

1. bring to terms, to force to agree to stated demands or conditions; bring into submission.

   After a long struggle, we brought them to terms.

2. come to terms,

   1. to reach an agreement; make an arrangement.

      to come to terms with a creditor.

   2. to become resigned or accustomed.

      to come to terms with one's life.

3. eat one's terms, to study for the bar; be a law student.

4. in terms of, with regard to; concerning.

   The book offers nothing in terms of a satisfactory conclusion.

term. ² American  

abbreviation

1. terminal.

2. termination.

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term British  

/ tɜːm /

noun

1. a name, expression, or word used for some particular thing, esp in a specialized field of knowledge

   a medical term

2. any word or expression

3. a limited period of time

   his second term of office

   a prison term

4. any of the divisions of the academic year during which a school, college, etc, is in session

5. a point in time determined for an event or for the end of a period

6. Also called: full term. the period at which childbirth is imminent

7. law

   1. an estate or interest in land limited to run for a specified period

      a term of years

   2. the duration of an estate, etc

   3. (formerly) a period of time during which sessions of courts of law were held

   4. time allowed to a debtor to settle

8. maths either of the expressions the ratio of which is a fraction or proportion, any of the separate elements of a sequence, or any of the individual addends of a polynomial or series

9. logic

   1. the word or phrase that forms either the subject or predicate of a proposition

   2. a name or variable, as opposed to a predicate

   3. one of the relata of a relation

   4. any of the three subjects or predicates occurring in a syllogism

10. Also called: terminal, terminus, terminal figure. architect a sculptured post, esp one in the form of an armless bust or an animal on the top of a square pillar

11. Australian rules football the usual word for quarter

12. archaic a boundary or limit

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verb

1. (tr) to designate; call

   he was termed a thief

term Scientific  

/ tûrm /

1. Each of the quantities or expressions that form the parts of a ratio or the numerator and denominator of a fraction.

2. Any of the quantities in an equation that are connected to other quantities by a plus sign or a minus sign.

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Usage

What is a term? In algebra, a term is an individual number or variable or a combination of them, such as 7, x, or 5y. In a similar way, a term is also a word or a group of words, especially those that belong to a specific field. For example, modifier is a grammar term used to describe a word or phrase that limits or qualifies something else. A term can also be any word or phrase. We use term in these articles to describe the word or phrase we’re talking about (check out “Where does term come from?” below for an example). Its plural form, terms, can refer to a set of rules or conditions, such as the terms for repaying a loan or the terms for a truce. To term something is to name or designate something, as in Rainey termed her mother’s angry look the “Rainey Is in Trouble” look. Term can also do with time. Any period of time with a beginning and an end can be called a term. A division of a school year is often called a term, as is the period a politician serves in a specific office. A US president serves a term of four years and can only serve two terms, for example. Example: Always read the terms of service before signing on to a new service.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• half-term
  noun
• misterm
  verb (used with object)
• interterm
  adjective
• termly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• terms
  plural

Participles

• terming
  present
• termed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• term
  simple
• terms
  simple
• have termed
  perfect
• has termed
  perfect
• am terming
  progressive
• are terming
  progressive
• is terming
  progressive
• have been terming
  perfect progressive
• has been terming
  perfect progressive

Past

• termed
  simple
• had termed
  perfect
• was terming
  progressive
• were terming
  progressive
• had been terming
  perfect progressive

Future

• will term
  simple
• will have termed
  perfect
• will be terming
  progressive
• will have been terming
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of term

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English terme, from Old French, from Latin terminus “boundary, limit, end”; akin to Greek térmōn “limit”

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Explanation

A term is a word or expression used with a particular meaning. "Rap," "punk," "grunge," and "heavy metal" are terms that describe particular styles of music. "Sweetie" is a term of endearment, at least to most people. Terms can also mean the conditions of an agreement: when you rent an apartment, you agree to certain terms — that you'll pay the rent, you won't have loud parties, etc. If you're "on good terms with someone," you like each other. Term can also be a defined period of time. Spring term at school is the spring semester, and you may be assigned a term paper — to demonstrate how brilliant you've become during that time period.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

term term. terms termed terming

Alliana will serve out the remainder of Pena's term, which ends in 2028.

From Barron's ● Nov. 7, 2026

“If I had to do it again, I’d have to do it again, because, long term, it’s the only answer.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 7, 2026

Early in his first term, he oversaw the creation of the Office of Constitutional Policing with a mandate that included working on the issue.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 6, 2026

Such objects are known as planetesimals, a term used for smaller solid bodies associated with the formation and evolution of planetary systems.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 6, 2026

Henry Laurens of South Carolina, the president of the Continental Congress for a term, had become one of America’s richest men by shipping as many as 8,000 people from Africa to America.

From "In the Shadow of Liberty" by Kenneth C. Davis

Although Donald Trump has acknowledged being aware of the term “America First” and its historical context, he has nevertheless called it “a brand-new modern term. I never related it to the past.”

From Salon ● May 21, 2026

“Our goal is clear: we want the inflation rate to return to 2% again in the medium term. We are aligning our monetary policy course accordingly.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 4, 2026

“In France today, you can’t touch that term. And for me, that’s the beginning of the end — when you can’t speak your mind.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025

“Tariffs will have a little impact for us short term. Long term, we’re going to have manufacturing onshore.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2025

“About your mark: You haven’t turned in work this term. I should have failed you. But at the last moment, I decided to pass you so that you could graduate with your class.”

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith

"In terms of curriculum, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment has provided a range of resources which address grief, loss, and bereavement both at primary and post-primary level," they said.

From BBC ● Nov. 7, 2026

Believers mix and match traditions, from magic and reincarnation to indigenous rituals, practicing faith on their own terms, becoming what Matthew Blanton, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Austin, calls “religious entrepreneurs.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

The Democrat represented the impoverished, coal-mining state of West Virginia in the Senate for 30 years, after serving two terms as governor.

From Barron's ● Nov. 6, 2026

Financial terms of the four-year deal were not released.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 5, 2026

Around the waist Camilla was only as big as a minute, in human terms.

From "Secrets at Sea" by Richard Peck

What might now be termed toxic masculinity was often deemed funny, seen by some as good old-fashioned male humour.

From BBC ● Nov. 6, 2026

What was missing was the vast fabric of ordinary facts and observations that humans acquire and use almost subconsciously and without which life would be unintelligible — what Lenat termed “common sense.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

CoreWeave is an upstart player in the market for compute power, sometimes termed one of the “neoclouds” that are focused on AI cloud computing, and it competes with the likes of Amazon or Microsoft.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

One review called Cregger’s movie “different and much better than the other ‘Resident Evil’ movies,” which were termed “depersonalized zombie sludge.”

From Salon ● Sep. 23, 2026

Victims of the flu often developed a secondary pneumonia caused by pneumococcus—an illness so rapid and fatal that doctors had termed it the “captain of the men of death.”

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Durazo is running for the District 1 seat held by Supervisor Hilda Solis, who is terming out after more than a decade on the board.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2026

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield is terming out in District 3, leaving the race to represent the southwestern San Fernando Valley open to a newcomer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 14, 2026

Board members left the door open for Carvalho’s return by terming Chait an “acting superintendent,” to fill in temporarily.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 2, 2026

She added that the pieces would soon be opened to the public for research and academic study, terming the move a milestone in safeguarding Ethiopia's cultural heritage.

From BBC ● Nov. 20, 2025

In fact, by terming it a 'problem', I perhaps overstate the matter.

From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro

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