PERIOD Copy link • PERIODSpace of time, spatium temporis; tempus, (plur.) tempora; aetas (age): tempestas (a space of time with its characteristic distinctions, a period marked by its history): ☞ aera in this sense is very low Latin; periodus is without authority: no period of my life, nullum aetatis meae tempus. End, Vid: Sentence, orbis orationis or verborum; circuitus orationis; verborum circuitus, complexio, ambitus, comprehensio; (The words are found in this connection and order.) comprehensio et ambitus verborum; verborum continuatio, constructio; conversio orationis (Cic.), or simply, ambitus, circuitus, comprehensio, circumscriptio, continuatio (Vid: Cic., Brut., 44, 162; id. Or., 61, 204; ☞ periodus in this sense is not strictly a Latin word; Cic. gives ambitus, circuitio, etc., adding once quem Graeci περίοδον, etc. in Greek characters, once si sic periodum appellari placet; and so Quint., Inst., 9, 4, 14; but it has been commonly employed in this sense by modern writers; and sometimes, for perspicuity, it may be necessary to adopt it): well-constructed periods, arguti, certique et circumscripti verborum ambitus (Cic., Or., 12, 138): a complete period, comprehensio plena (ib.): a short period, brevis comprehensio et ambitus verborum (Cic., Brut., 44, 162): too long a period, nimis longa sententiarum continuatio (Cic., De Or., 3, 13, 49): avoid long periods, fugere oportet longam verborum continuationem (Auct., ad Her., 4, 12, 18): a neat and well-rounded period, apta et quasi rotunda verborum constructio (Cic., Brut., 78, 272); forma concinnitasque verborum facit orbem suum (Cic., Or., 44, 149; the period is well rounded).