duration
dyoo-RAY-shun
/djʊˈreɪʃən/
The time during which something continues.
Focuses on the length of the span rather than the start or end points.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'durare', meaning 'to last' or 'to harden'. It shares a root with 'durable'—something that has duration is something that 'lasts'.
Word relationships
- span: Span often refers to the distance between two points; duration refers to the time passed.
- instant: An instant has no duration.
Commonly confused with
- interval: Duration is how long something lasts; interval is the gap between two things.
Word family
- durable (adjective): able to withstand wear, pressure, or damage; hard-wearing.
- endure (verb): suffer patiently; remain in existence.
Collocations
- for the duration
- short duration
- average duration
Idioms & expressions
- for the duration
Example sentences
- "The duration of the flight is approximately ten hours, including the layover." Travel
- "Duration is a sensible length of any portion of that infinite duration." Philosophy
Memory hook
Think of a 'Durable' battery. It has a long 'Duration'. Durable = Duration.
When not to use
Don't use when referring to a specific point in time.
Fun facts
- The phrase 'for the duration' became popular during WWII, meaning until the end of the war.
Explore more words
endurance, continuity, lifespan, rhythm, continuous, transition
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