Term in Different Languages
Discover 'Term' in 134 Languages: Dive into Translations, Hear Pronunciations, and Uncover Cultural Insights.
Updated on March 6, 2024
The word 'term' carries significant meaning in various contexts, from defining a limit or boundary to representing a word or phrase in language studies. Its cultural importance is evident in its use in laws, contracts, and academic discourse. Understanding the term's translation in different languages can provide valuable insights into how different cultures conceptualize and communicate ideas.
For instance, in Spanish, 'term' translates to 'término,' while in French, it is 'terme.' In German, 'term' is 'Begriff,' and in Japanese, it is '用語 (yōgo).' These translations not only reflect linguistic differences but also cultural nuances that shape our understanding of the world.
Moreover, the word 'term' has historical contexts that are worth exploring. In ancient Rome, 'termini' were boundary markers used to demarcate land ownership. Today, the term has evolved to include a wide range of meanings, from mathematical and scientific concepts to colloquial expressions.
Exploring the translations of 'term' in different languages can be a fascinating journey into the heart of language and culture. Below is a list of translations that showcase the term's versatility and cultural significance.
Term
Term in Sub-Saharan African Languages
| Afrikaans | termyn | ||
| The Afrikaans word "termyn" is derived from the French "terme" and Latin "terminus", both meaning "boundary" or "end". | |||
| Amharic | ቃል | ||
| The word 'ቃል' not only means 'term' in Amharic, but it also refers to 'speech,' 'promise,' or 'edict. | |||
| Hausa | lokaci | ||
| "Lokaci" can also mean "time" or "moment" in Hausa. | |||
| Igbo | okwu | ||
| "Okwu" in Igbo also refers to "dispute" or "controversy". | |||
| Malagasy | teny | ||
| The word "teny" can also refer to a sentence, a discourse, or a story in Malagasy. | |||
| Nyanja (Chichewa) | nthawi | ||
| The word "nthawi" can also mean "time" or "season" in Nyanja | |||
| Shona | izwi | ||
| "Izwi" can also refer to a word or a piece of information. | |||
| Somali | muddo | ||
| The Somali word "muddo" can also refer to a "year" or "time period". | |||
| Sesotho | poleloana e reng | ||
| The literal meaning of poleloana e reng is "words on the line." | |||
| Swahili | mrefu | ||
| The word "mrefu" also means "long" in Swahili and can be traced back to Proto-Bantu. | |||
| Xhosa | ixesha | ||
| Ixesha in Xhosa can refer to a time period, weather conditions or a phase in life's journey | |||
| Yoruba | igba | ||
| The Yoruba word "igba" also means "calabash" and is believed to have originated from the Igbo language. | |||
| Zulu | isikhathi | ||
| "Isikhathi" also means "time or season" in Zulu. | |||
| Bambara | dan | ||
| Ewe | nya | ||
| Kinyarwanda | ijambo | ||
| Lingala | liloba | ||
| Luganda | ekisanja | ||
| Sepedi | lereo | ||
| Twi (Akan) | asɛmfua | ||
Term in North African & Middle Eastern Languages
| Arabic | مصطلح | ||
| Arabic مصطلح also means "technical term" or "jargon" in English. | |||
| Hebrew | טווח | ||
| The word "טווח" can also mean "range" or "target" in Hebrew. | |||
| Pashto | اصطلاح | ||
| The word "اصطلاح" also means "agreement" or "convention" in Pashto. | |||
| Arabic | مصطلح | ||
| Arabic مصطلح also means "technical term" or "jargon" in English. | |||
Term in Western European Languages
| Albanian | termi | ||
| "Term" comes from the Proto-Indo-European word *térmno-, which means "end," "limit," or "boundary." | |||
| Basque | epe | ||
| The Basque word "epe" also means "time" or "period". | |||
| Catalan | termini | ||
| Catalan "termini" is cognate with Latin "terminus" (boundary, milestone), with which it shares root "ter" (end, limit). Variants mean "station" and "place of assembly or judgment." | |||
| Croatian | termin | ||
| The word termin in Croatian comes from the Latin word terminus, which means boundary. | |||
| Danish | semester | ||
| The Danish word 'semester' originally meant a period of six months based on the Roman calendar and derives from the Latin word 'semestris'. | |||
| Dutch | termijn | ||
| Dutch "termijn" originates in Latin "terminu(s)" and has the related meaning of "boundary". | |||
| English | term | ||
| The word "term" comes from the Latin word "terminus," meaning "boundary" or "end point." | |||
| French | terme | ||
| The French word "terme" is derived from the Latin word "terminus," which means "boundary" or "limit." | |||
| Frisian | term | ||
| In Frisian, "term" can also mean "boundary, border, limit" or "interval, period of time." | |||
| Galician | prazo | ||
| The Galician word “prazo” derives from the Latin word “placitum,” meaning “decision” or “agreement”. | |||
| German | begriff | ||
| The word "Begriff" in German can also mean "concept" or "notion". | |||
| Icelandic | kjörtímabil | ||
| The etymology of the word "kjörtímabil" comes from the Old Norse words "kjöra" (to drive) and "tími" (time), meaning "car used to drive in winter only". | |||
| Irish | téarma | ||
| The word 'téarma' (term) derives from an older Irish word, 'teirem,' meaning 'boundary' or 'limit' | |||
| Italian | termine | ||
| In Italian, "termine" can also mean "border" or "destination" | |||
| Luxembourgish | begrëff | ||
| "Begrëff" is derived from the Middle High German "begriff", meaning "comprehension" or "concept", related to "begreifen", meaning "to comprehend" or "to grasp". | |||
| Maltese | terminu | ||
| In Maltese, the word 'terminu' (pl. 'termini') may also denote an expiry date, such as on food items. | |||
| Norwegian | begrep | ||
| The Norwegian word "begrep" comes from the Old Norse word "grip". meaning "to grasp". Thus, "begrep" refers to a concept or idea that has been grasped by the mind. | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal, Brazil) | prazo | ||
| The word "prazo" in Portuguese originates from Latin "placitum", meaning "decree" or "lawsuit". | |||
| Scots Gaelic | teirm | ||
| Teirm can also refer to a portion of a day spent milking cows or a time when animals are driven. | |||
| Spanish | término | ||
| The word "término" derives from the Latin "terminus", meaning a boundary or limit | |||
| Swedish | termin | ||
| In Swedish, "termin" can also refer to a scheduled appointment or deadline. | |||
| Welsh | tymor | ||
| The word 'tymor' is derived from the Latin 'terminus', meaning 'boundary', and also has the meaning of 'heat' in Welsh. | |||
Term in Eastern European Languages
| Belarusian | тэрмін | ||
| The word "тэрмін" in Belarusian also means "deadline" or "due date". | |||
| Bosnian | pojam | ||
| "Pojam" also means "concept" in Bosnian. | |||
| Bulgarian | срок | ||
| The word "срок" can also mean "deadline" or "prison sentence" in Bulgarian. | |||
| Czech | období | ||
| In Czech, "období" can also mean "weather." | |||
| Estonian | tähtaeg | ||
| The word "tähtaeg" also means "deadline" in Estonian. | |||
| Finnish | termi | ||
| The word "termi" can also refer to a technical device, a machine, or a mechanism. | |||
| Hungarian | kifejezés | ||
| The Hungarian word "kifejezés" ultimately derives from the verb "fejez ki" (express), thus meaning "expression" in its original sense. | |||
| Latvian | jēdziens | ||
| The Latvian word **jēdziens** means not only "term" but also "concept" or "notion". | |||
| Lithuanian | terminas | ||
| The Lithuanian word "terminas" comes from the Latin "terminus" and also means "boundary." | |||
| Macedonian | термин | ||
| The term for 'term' in Macedonian is 'термин', ultimately derived from the Latin 'terminus' meaning 'boundary'. | |||
| Polish | semestr | ||
| The Polish word "semestr" derives from the Latin word "semestris", meaning "six months" or "half a year". | |||
| Romanian | termen | ||
| In Romanian, "termen" also means "deadline" and is derived from Latin "terminus" (boundary, limit). | |||
| Russian | срок | ||
| "Срок" can also mean "fate" or "due date" in Russian | |||
| Serbian | термин | ||
| In Serbian, «термин» («term») shares its root with «трнути» («trнути») («to grow numb»), highlighting the temporary or ephemeral nature of terms. | |||
| Slovak | termín | ||
| The word "termín" in Slovak is derived from the Latin "terminus," meaning "boundary" or "limitation." | |||
| Slovenian | izraz | ||
| The word "izraz" in Slovenian can also mean "expression" or "phrase". | |||
| Ukrainian | термін | ||
| The Ukrainian word "термін" can also refer to a period of time or a deadline. | |||
Term in South Asian Languages
| Bengali | শব্দ | ||
| Bengali "শব্দ" ("shabda") comes from Sanskrit, where it also means "sound." This reflects the ancient Indian idea that all language was rooted in the fundamental sounds produced by the cosmos. | |||
| Gujarati | શબ્દ | ||
| The Gujarati word (shabd) has Sanskrit origins, with its root meaning "sound" or "speech," and it can also refer to "language" or "writing." | |||
| Hindi | अवधि | ||
| अवधि is also used as an alternative term for 'period' or 'time frame' in Hindi. | |||
| Kannada | ಪದ | ||
| ಪದ also means a word in Kannada. | |||
| Malayalam | ടേം | ||
| 'ടേം' is also spelt 'റ്റേം' in Malayalam, an alternate spelling of the original English word. | |||
| Marathi | टर्म | ||
| In Marathi, 'टर्म' can also refer to a 'destination,' 'direction,' or 'result.' | |||
| Nepali | अवधि | ||
| The word "अवधि" can also mean "period" or "duration". | |||
| Punjabi | ਮਿਆਦ | ||
| ਮਿਆਦ (mi'aad) is derived from the Arabic word 'mī'ād' (موعد), which means 'meeting, appointment, or fixed time' | |||
| Sinhala (Sinhalese) | පදය | ||
| "පදය" is derived from "पाद" in Sanskrit, meaning "foot". It can also mean a single element, a step in a series, or the base of a word. | |||
| Tamil | கால | ||
| கால refers to a time period, a season, the period of one's life, or the point of time. | |||
| Telugu | పదం | ||
| In Telugu, "పదం" refers not only to a term but also to a song, a dance, or a play. | |||
| Urdu | اصطلاح | ||
| The word "اصطلاح" is derived from the Arabic word "اصطلح" meaning "to agree upon". | |||
Term in East Asian Languages
| Chinese (Simplified) | 术语 | ||
| The term 术语 can also refer to concepts, theories, or principles. | |||
| Chinese (Traditional) | 術語 | ||
| The Chinese word "術語" (term) originally referred to the language and terminology of a craft or profession, but over time it came to refer to any specialized terminology. | |||
| Japanese | 期間 | ||
| The word '期間' can also mean 'menstruation' or 'pregnancy'. | |||
| Korean | 기간 | ||
| 기간 ("term") literally means "period" or "interval", but in legal contexts, it can also refer to a fixed period within which an action or obligation must be completed. | |||
| Mongolian | нэр томъёо | ||
| The term "нэр томъёо" can also be used to refer to the specific period assigned for a particular purpose. | |||
| Myanmar (Burmese) | သက်တမ်း | ||
Term in South East Asian Languages
| Indonesian | istilah | ||
| In Indonesian, the word "istilah" can also refer to a specific jargon or technical language used in a particular field or profession. | |||
| Javanese | istilah | ||
| "Istilah" can mean "to be called" or "to be named". | |||
| Khmer | ពាក្យ | ||
| The Khmer word "ពាក្យ" ("vāky") derives from Sanskrit "वाक्य" ("vākya"), meaning "speech, sentence, proposition, phrase." | |||
| Lao | ໄລຍະ | ||
| "ໄລຍะ" can mean "interval" or "epoch" in Lao. | |||
| Malay | istilah | ||
| The word "istilah" is derived from the Arabic word "istila"," denoting "possession, seizure, mastery, or technical term"} | |||
| Thai | เทอม | ||
| The Thai word "เทอม" comes from the English word "term," but can also mean "semester" or "season." | |||
| Vietnamese | kỳ hạn | ||
| Kỳ hạn in Vietnamese comes from the Chinese phrase 期限, meaning "a period of time" | |||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | termino | ||
Term in Central Asian Languages
| Azerbaijani | müddət | ||
| The word "müddət" in Azerbaijani has several etymologies and alternate meanings, including "period of time", "deadline", "duration", and "instalment". | |||
| Kazakh | мерзім | ||
| Мерзім's second meaning is a limit for paying off a debt, while its initial literal meaning is the line in which an animal is tethered. | |||
| Kyrgyz | мөөнөт | ||
| The term "мөөнөт" in Kyrgyz can also refer to a period of time spent in prison. | |||
| Tajik | мӯҳлат | ||
| The Persian-derived word мӯҳлат carries meanings such as 'period of time', 'respite', and 'opportunity'. | |||
| Turkmen | termin | ||
| Uzbek | muddat | ||
| The word "muddat" in Uzbek can trace its origin to the Arabic word "mu'addat" which means "period of time" or "duration". | |||
| Uyghur | term | ||
Term in Pacific Languages
| Hawaiian | kau | ||
| The Hawaiian word "kau" can also mean "to steal" or "to take away." | |||
| Maori | wā | ||
| The word “wā” in Māori also means “day” and can refer to a specific time period or a period of time in general. | |||
| Samoan | vaitaimi | ||
| "Vaitai" can also be used to refer to a period or timeframe. | |||
| Tagalog (Filipino) | kataga | ||
| "Kataga" in Tagalog can also mean "word" or "expression". | |||
Term in American Indigenous Languages
| Aymara | aru | ||
| Guarani | ñe'ẽ | ||
Term in International Languages
| Esperanto | terminon | ||
| The Esperanto word "terminon" is derived from the Latin word "terminus", meaning "boundary" or "limitation". | |||
| Latin | terminus | ||
| In Latin, "terminus" originally meant "boundary marker" or "milestone" and was later used to refer to the end of a period of time or a limit. | |||
Term in Others Languages
| Greek | όρος | ||
| In medical and scientific jargon, the word “όρος” is also used to denote a “definition”, and in colloquial Greek it can signify a boundary, mountain or frontier. | |||
| Hmong | lub sij hawm | ||
| The word "lub sij hawm" can also mean "semester" or "session". | |||
| Kurdish | îfade | ||
| The term "îfade" shares a similar root with the Persian word "efade" and the Arabic word "ifada," all of which imply "to express, to make clear, or to convey an idea." | |||
| Turkish | dönem | ||
| In Turkish, "dönem" derives from the Old Turkic word "dön" (to turn), and has meanings related to periods, eras, and rotations. | |||
| Xhosa | ixesha | ||
| Ixesha in Xhosa can refer to a time period, weather conditions or a phase in life's journey | |||
| Yiddish | טערמין | ||
| "טערמין" is not only another word for "phrase" from the Modern Hebrew (טֶרם), it originally meant "melody" (from the Polish term [literally; "rub out"]) used in the 19 Century to describe the popular dance craze of the polka in the Polish–Jewish community (טערנ' טאנץ "polka dance": "polki shpil","polkespiel"). Later, it came exclusively to mean"melody; tune" in the klezmer music repertoire. | |||
| Zulu | isikhathi | ||
| "Isikhathi" also means "time or season" in Zulu. | |||
| Assamese | কাল | ||
| Aymara | aru | ||
| Bhojpuri | मियाद | ||
| Dhivehi | މުއްދަތު | ||
| Dogri | म्याद | ||
| Filipino (Tagalog) | termino | ||
| Guarani | ñe'ẽ | ||
| Ilocano | termino | ||
| Krio | wɔd | ||
| Kurdish (Sorani) | چەمک | ||
| Maithili | शर्त | ||
| Meiteilon (Manipuri) | ꯋꯥꯍꯩ | ||
| Mizo | hunbi | ||
| Oromo | jecha | ||
| Odia (Oriya) | ଶବ୍ଦ | ||
| Quechua | kamachiy | ||
| Sanskrit | पद | ||
| Tatar | термин | ||
| Tigrinya | ቃል | ||
| Tsonga | thema | ||