Term
From Free net encyclopedia
The word term refers to either a word unit or a time unit with specified boundaries or limits.
In the context of a legal and binding contract, terms refers to all specified boundaries, limits, and conditions that are stated in the contract —including any names, places, times, and definitions.
- Language unit
- In terminology (the study of language terms), a "term" is a word, word pair, or word group, that is used in specific contexts for a specific meaning.
- Specialised terms are characterised as technical terms, or sometimes terms of art.
- Figures of speech and shorthands are called terms of language.
- A term (mathematics) is a basic component of a mathematical expression. In the context of a polynomial it is a number and variables all multiplied together. Similarly, like terms are terms that have the same variables to the same exponents.
- in mathematical logic, a term is a particular combination of symbols from a formal language, that in turn are the units that make up the formulas of that language.
- In type theory, "term" is used for the linguistic constructs.
- In traditional logic, term came to mean a referring expression, but only through the Latin terminus - margin, (so that terms were 'terminal for analysis').
- Unit of time
- A unit of time - where a "term" is a specified and measured period or unit of time after which such term is said to be 'ended' or 'expired.' For example:
- the term of office a person (e.g. a politician) serves in office;
- the term served in prison by a convicted criminal;
- a deadline - in project management
- an academic term – a number of weeks worth of study at a school or university
- the term of a mortgage;
- "long-term" and "short-term";
- the term of patent, the period during which it is enforceable - e.g. term of patent in the United States.
- Conditions
- The terms of a planet refers to segments of an astrological sign that are ruled by different ruling planets. It is a form of essential dignity. It can also be called the bounds of a planet or sign.