Period
/ˈpɪə.ri.əd/noun
A length of time, or a mark used to end a sentence.
Did you know?Its deepest Greek ancestor, *periodos*, literally meant a “going around,” which is why the word can describe both a cycle in time and a full stop at the end of a thought.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
periodos
“a going around, circuit, cycle”
Late Greek
Greek
periodos
“a recurring cycle or interval”
Late Latin
Latin
periodus
“a cycle, circuit; also a sentence or clause”
Middle English
English
periode
“a cycle of time; a sentence or section of discourse”
Modern English
English
period
“a length of time; a punctuation mark ending a sentence”