term | meaning of term in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (2024)

From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary EnglishRelated topics: Education, Finance, Mathstermterm1 /tɜːm $ tɜːrm/ ●●● S1 W1 noun 1 → in terms of something2 → in general/practical/financial etc terms3 word [countable]WORD, PHRASE, OR SENTENCE a word or expression with a particular meaning, especially one that is used for a specific subject or type of languageterm for ‘Multimedia’ is the term for any technique combining sounds and images.in no uncertain terms (=in very clear and angry language) Journalists were told in no uncertain terms that they were not welcome. → a contradiction in terms► see thesaurus at word 4 period of time [countable]PERIOD OF TIME a fixed period of time during which someone does something or something happensterm of/in office (=the time someone spends doing an important job in government) The mayor was coming to the end of his term in office.term of the maximum term of imprisonment The lease runs for a term of 99 years.prison/jail term The men each received a 30-year prison term. → fixed-term 5 school/university [countable, uncountable] especially British EnglishSE one of the periods of time that the school or university year is divided into. In Britain, there are usually three terms in a year. → half-term, semester, quartersummer/autumn/spring term The exams are at the end of the summer term. Teachers often feel overworked in term time (=during the term).first/last day of term that all-important first day of term 6 → in the long/short/medium term7 end [singular, uncountable] technicalBF the end of a particular period of time The agreement reaches its term next year. a child born two months before full term (=of pregnancy) We can prolong life beyond its natural term.8 → come to terms with something9 → terms10 → terms11 → terms of reference12 number/sign [countable] technicalHM one of the numbers or signs used in a mathematical calculation COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 3: a word or expression with a particular meaning, especially one that is used for a specific subject or type of languageADJECTIVES/NOUN + terma legal/medical termThe site provides a glossary of legal terms.a technical term‘Gender’ is a technical term in grammar.a slang term‘The Old Bill’ is a slang term for the police.a derogatory/pejorative term (=one that is insulting or disapproving)‘Pinko’ is a derogatory term for someone with socialist ideas.verbsuse a terma term used by psychiatristscoin a term (=invent it)Funk coined the term ‘vitamin’ in 1912.phrasesa term of abuse (=a word that is offensive or deliberately rude)‘Geek’ is used as a term of abuse.a term of endearment (=a word that expresses your love for someone)terms of endearment like ‘love’, ‘dear’, and ‘honey’in strong termsThe pope condemned both Nazism and Communism in strong terms.in glowing terms (=praising someone or something highly)Friends and relatives speak of him in glowing terms.in layman’s terms (=using ordinary words, not technical words)Can you explain to me in layman’s terms how my computer works? COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 4: a fixed period of time during which someone does something or something happensADJECTIVES/NOUN + term a prison/jail termHe faced a maximum prison term of 25 years.a five-year/ten-year termThe president is elected for a five-year term.a fixed termThe contract was for a fixed term of five years.a maximum/minimum termThe maximum term was life imprisonment.phrasesa term of/in officeThe governor ends his term of office in September.a term of imprisonment/detentionShe was sentenced to a long term of imprisonment.verbsserve a termShe served a term as chairwoman of the council. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 5: one of the periods of time that the school or university year is divided into. In Britain, there are usually three terms in a year.phrasesthe beginning/start of termThe beginning of term was only two days away.the end of termWe had a party at the end of term.the first/last day of termOn the last day of term we went home early.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + term a school/university termThe school term was about to start.a new termAre you looking forward to the new term?the spring/summer/autumn termMrs Collins will be leaving us at the end of the summer term.phrasesin/during term timeParents need permission to take their children on holiday during term time. Examples from the Corpusterm• "Limited English Proficient" is a term used for students who can speak some English.• It's very difficult to give a definition of a term like 'cyberspace'.• These are terms used in digital electronics to designate the basic logical operations on which digital systems are founded.• The managers were all hired for a fixed term.• He is halfway into his term of office.• Mr Toplak had just started his term as vice-president of the company.• Its terms and implications are unmistakably authoritarian.• She had her jail term cut for good behaviour.• Any outstanding debt repayment requirements and / or restrictive covenants on long term debt agreements are additional important. considerations.• Political dissidents are sentenced to long terms of imprisonment.• The medical term for losing your hair is 'alopecia'.• The main exams are at the end of the summer term.• How can the terms and conditions of every carrier and each transaction be made readily available to all the holders?• The bank says that they can extend the term of our mortgage.• Officials now are trying to extend the term of the loan by two years.• Harris used the term "crisis" to describe the company's financial situation.• Mr Hicks used the term 'neighbourhood schools' for what in effect were segregated black schools.• The term is used to describe grace periods that often go into effect when new geographic area codes are set up.• The terms of the disposition agreement with the committee are still being negotiated, they said.• The Democrats are hoping to deny him a third term in office.• General Herrera was elected to a third term of office as President.• Now I had to start thinking in world terms, for those Championships were coming in 1987.• Members are nationals of and nominated by the Parties and serve for four-year terms.• Elected members of the House of Assembly serve a six-year term.• Malik is now serving a three-year term in prison.• He recently completed a two-year term as chairman. in no uncertain terms• But DuPonceau does venture to contradict, and in no uncertain terms.• The president of the university condemned racism on campus in no uncertain terms.• That night they told her, in no uncertain terms, to go for it.• They let us know in no uncertain terms that we were not welcome.• Well, there was nothing for it, I had to lay down the law in no uncertain terms.• She wanted nothing at all from her father and she was about to tell Alain Lemarchand so in no uncertain terms.• He had found them scruffy, and had said so in no uncertain terms.• What is more, she said so - in no uncertain terms.• Those coming into leadership are told in no uncertain terms what their task is to be.• We were told in no uncertain terms that we were not welcome at their house.• This means that we are going to lock you up, in no uncertain terms.full term• Only one president served a full term before turning over the office to another military dictator.• From the seventh month onwards, with adequate care, a child born before full term has a good chance of survival.• Trent Lott, R-Miss., who was elected to his first full term as majority leader last month.• They end up simply serving out the full term of their sentence, unless affected by the various amnesties.• So, the selected conception was implanted, and the pregnancy went to full term.• Only Ronald Reagan, . a professional actor, has served two full terms.• IFAs say that if you are within five years of maturity, you should probably hang on until full term. termterm2 ●○○ verb [transitive] NAME OF A THINGto use a particular word or expression to name or describe somethingbe termed something This condition is sometimes termed RSI, or repetitive strain injury. These developments are loosely termed ‘advanced manufacturing techniques’.term yourself something Roosevelt termed himself and his policies ‘liberal’.Grammar Term is often used in the passive.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpusterm• Lukens apologized for what he termed "a dumb mistake."• If a network can pass outputs only to the next layer, it is termed a feedforward network.• Seifert termed his relationship with Walsh as "good."• We termed it thus because the depression arose from role performance and not from their psychopathology.• This process is termed nectar robbery and has been shown in Corydalis, a spurred flower.loosely termed• No environment has proved so fertile a ground for such phenomena as what is loosely termed commercial women's fiction.• A significant feature of this narrative as a whole is the division between what might be loosely termed descriptive and actional frames.• They are loosely termed I-Control, I-Pursue, I-Explore and I-Preserve.• A major pattern of disagreement centres on the distribution of what were loosely termed the descriptive and actional frames of the story. From Longman Business Dictionarytermterm1 /tɜːmtɜːrm/ noun1[countable] a word or expression that has a particular meaning, especially in a technical or scientific subjecta glossary of business termsterm forMultimedia is the industry term for any technique that uses computers to combine sound and images.2in real terms a change of a price or cost in real terms has been calculated to include the effects of other changes such as INFLATION (=price rises over time)Cocoa prices fell to their lowest in real terms for over 50 years.3[countable]COMMERCELAW one of the conditions of an agreement, contract, or other legal documentUnder the terms of the contract, the company was to deliver 1,000 megawatts of electricity to New York. → delivery terms → draft terms → express term → fleet terms → implied term → price terms → settlement terms4terms [plural]COMMERCE the conditions under which you agree to buy or sell somethingYou may be able to find another policy offering the same cover on more favourable terms (=more cheaply, with easier ways to pay etc). → account terms → credit terms → payment terms → preferential terms → settlement terms → trade terms5on equal terms/on the same terms having the same advantages, rights etc as anyone elseUS companies want to be able to compete on equal terms with their overseas rivals.6terms of reference [plural] the agreed limits of what an official committee or report has been asked to studyThe matter of compensation is not within the committee’s terms of reference.7in the long/short/medium term over a period of time from now until a long, short etc time into the futureThe company’s prospects look good in the long term. → see also long-term, medium-term, short-term 8[countable] a period of time for which someone has an important job or position, or that a government has powerThe chairman’s term is six years.The President hopes to be elected to a second term of office.9[singular] the period of time that a legal right or agreement continues forterm ofNew legislation would lengthen the term of patent protection to 20 years.Expenses are refundable over the term of the contract (=during the time that it continues).10[singular]FINANCE the period of time before something has to be paid or repaidWe’re trying to extend the term on our mortgage.term ofa promissory note with a term of 6 months11[singular]COMMERCE the end of the period of a business agreementThe policy reaches its term next year.12[singular]INSURANCE the period of time that an insurance contract lasts for, especially when this is less than one year13[countable]STATISTICS one of the numbers or signs used in a mathematical calculationtermterm2 verb [transitive] to use a particular word or expression to name or describe somethingHe discussed the formation of what he termed ‘strategic alliances’.→ See Verb tabletermterm3 adjective [only before a noun] term deposit/loan etcFINANCE money that is put in a bank or a loan that is given for a particular length of timeUS dollar term deposits can be an excellent investment choice for you.Its credit line was converted to a term loan that matures Oct. 31.Origin term1 (1200-1300) Old French terme “edge, limit, end”, from Latin terminus