Basic Details
Word: Term
Part of Speech: Noun; verb
Meaning: A word or phrase with a special meaning in a subject; a fixed period of time, such as a school term; also the conditions of an agreement (terms). As a verb, to term something is to give it a name.
Synonyms: word, expression, period, session
How to Spell Term
Syllables: term
Tricky part: The vowel sound is spelt er, not ir or ur, even though all three can sound the same. Students write turm or tirm.
Watch out for: turm, tirm, terme
Memory tip: Term has the same er as germ, fern and herb. Think: the first term is when a new germ of an idea starts to grow.
Idioms and Phrases
- on good terms: friendly with someone Example: "Even after the argument, the two neighbours stayed on good terms."
Usage Examples
Example 1: Our second term begins after the Dussehra holidays.
Example 2: Photosynthesis is a term every science student learns.
Example 3: Read the terms carefully before you sign up for the app.
Fun Fact
Term comes from Latin terminus, a boundary or end, which also gives terminal and terminate; a term was first a limit in time.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word 'term' as used in the sentence:
Hat-trick is a cricket term for three wickets taken in three balls by one bowler.
a) rule
b) season
c) score
d) expression
Show answer
d) expression. Here term means a word with a special meaning in a subject, which is what an expression is.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence and choose the word they make:
The second mert of school begins in October.
a) team
b) tram
c) term
d) trim
Show answer
c) term. Tram, team and trim each need an a or an i; the jumble has an e.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
At the end of the first tirm, our class teacher sent home a report card with comments on every subject and a note about attendance for our parents.
a) attendance
b) comments
c) tirm
d) teacher
Show answer
c) tirm. The vowel sound is written er here, as in germ.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In maths, each number in the sequence 2, 4, 6, 8 is called a ____.
a) ratio
b) digit
c) factor
d) term
Show answer
d) term
2. Someone who comes to terms with a loss ____.
a) argues about it
b) asks for money
c) slowly learns to accept it
d) forgets it at once
Show answer
c) slowly learns to accept it
