Term Meaning

UK /tɜːm/
US /tɜrm/
Word Definition
term meaning

Term Definition & Usage

noun

A word or phrase used to describe a concept, condition, or situation.

Examples

  • "The term 'cloud computing' refers to the delivery of computing services over the internet."
  • "She couldn’t understand the term ‘quantum physics’ despite many explanations."
  • "The term 'millennial' has gained popularity in recent years."
  • "In this term of the contract, the customer agrees to a payment schedule."
  • "The doctor used the term 'hypoglycemia' to explain the patient's condition."
noun

A fixed or specified period of time, especially one related to academic study or a contractual agreement.

Examples

  • "The school year is divided into two terms, each lasting about four months."
  • "He signed a three-year term as president of the company."
  • "The term of the lease was extended by an additional six months."
  • "The professor mentioned that the term for submitting assignments had been extended."
  • "Her term as chairperson ended last month."
noun

A condition or stipulation of an agreement, law, or regulation.

Examples

  • "One of the terms of the contract includes a non-disclosure agreement."
  • "The lawyer explained the legal terms before the signing of the document."
  • "The company imposed new terms of service for all users of their platform."
  • "He had to accept the terms and conditions before downloading the software."
  • "The terms of the agreement were negotiated carefully by both parties."
verb

To assign a particular label or description to something.

Examples

  • "We term this approach 'sustainable development'."
  • "In her research, she terms the phenomenon as 'social mobility'."
  • "He termed the event a success after the participants gave positive feedback."
  • "The police officer termed the situation a 'routine traffic stop'."
  • "Many economists term the current recession as 'mild'."

Cultural Context

The word 'term' has its roots in Latin, derived from 'terminus' meaning a boundary or limit. Over time, it has come to represent a variety of ideas related to language, time, conditions, and agreements. The use of 'term' in academic settings is common, especially in reference to academic sessions or the duration of projects. It is also prevalent in legal, contractual, and business contexts, where it refers to agreed-upon conditions and stipulations.

The Long-Term Decision

Story

The Long-Term Decision

Sarah had been thinking about her career for months, but she could never quite put her thoughts into a 'term' that felt right. When she spoke to her mentor, Mr. Thomas, about her dilemma, he smiled and said, 'Sometimes, the right term doesn’t come until you live it.' Sarah was struggling with the idea of whether to stay at her current job or pursue an exciting opportunity overseas. 'It's not just about the term of the contract, Sarah. It’s about the long-term impact on your life.' Mr. Thomas was an old friend of her family, and he always had a way of making Sarah think deeply. He continued, 'You’ve been terming your career as a job, but what if it’s more of a journey?' This statement made Sarah pause. She realized that she had been seeing everything through the lens of short-term goals. However, Mr. Thomas’s perspective gave her clarity. She needed to look at the bigger picture and the terms of her own happiness. 'Terming things from a bigger perspective changes everything,' she said, finally feeling a sense of peace about her decision. The term she’d used before—'job'—was now replaced with 'adventure.'

The Long-Term Decision