Word of the Day: Term

term / ˈtərm   noun  

1. a word or expression that has an exact meaning or is particular to some branch of learning

Creativity is a catchall term for a variety of distinct thought processes. from ‘Proust Was a Neuroscientist’ by Jonah Lehrer, 1981-  

2. expressions given in a specified way

Knowing that we must preserve ecosystems with as many of their interacting species as possible defines our challenge in no uncertain terms. from ‘Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants’ by Douglas W. Tallamy, ?-  

3. a set amount of time; duration

Halfway through the second term of Franklin Roosevelt, the New Deal braintrusters began to worry about mounting popular concern over the national debt. William F. Buckley, Jr., 1925-2008  

4. a division of the school year in which instruction is provided

First came the vacation and then the next term and then vacation again and then again another term and then again the vacation. from ‘A Portrait of the Artists as a Young Man’ by James Joyce, 1882-1941  

5. plural, conditions

Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live. Anne Sweeney, 1957-  

6. plural, standing

As far as possible without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. from ‘Desiderata: A Poem for a Way of Life’ by Max Ehrmann, 1872-1945  

7. agreement

Another consideration is what will happen if the two parties are unable to come to terms. Jonathan Reynolds, ?-, The Art and Tactics of Negotiation https://www.edisonpartners.com/blog/negotiation  

8. the state of acceptance

I am coming to terms with the fact that loving someone requires a leap of faith, and that a soft landing is never guaranteed. from ‘This Lullaby’ by Sarah Dessen, 1970-  

9. each of the numbers of which an algebraic expression is composed

An Expression is a group of terms (the terms are separated by + or – signs). https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/definitions.html  

10. any of the elements in a syllogism

There must be three terms: the major premise, the minor premise, and the conclusion – no more, no less. https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-syllogism.html   verb  

1. to call or name

Frugality may be termed the daughter of Prudence, the sister of Temperance, and the parent of Liberty. from ‘The Rambler’ by Samuel Johnson, 1709-1784