I would like to know if there is a single-word hypernym for day, month, week and year.
asked Dec 24, 2012 at 14:42
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Have you checked past questions on ELU? And elsewhere, esp., online?– KrisCommented Dec 24, 2012 at 14:44
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Yes I have checked– Trident D'GaoCommented Dec 24, 2012 at 14:46
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Er... interval? Duration?– Andrew Leach ♦Commented Dec 24, 2012 at 14:53
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Time interval (may be, although it's 2 words), duration - aswers the question how long, I am looking for something that answers the question when– Trident D'GaoCommented Dec 24, 2012 at 14:57
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But "day", "month", "week" or "year" do not answer the question "When?"– Andrew Leach ♦Commented Dec 24, 2012 at 15:02
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2 Answers
Time period is general enough:
time period n. an amount of time
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I thought of this one, just wasn't sure enough. Thanks Commented Dec 24, 2012 at 15:08
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2Too general perhaps? 'Two weeks' is a time period also. But I understood the question to mean the individual units of measurement.– Ed AvisCommented Dec 11, 2015 at 16:37
Their hypernym would be based in their singular aspect of similarity — into what set can they all fit. So words like time and span (or even time span) would do the trick assuming you mean a duration. If you mean a specific period then try, um, period.
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Timespan is often spelled without the offending period: dictionary.reference.com/browse/timespan Commented Dec 24, 2012 at 15:17
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@WayfaringStranger Time-span is only, ever, and always spelt without any offending period. However, it is oft spelled with a graceful hyphen.– tchrist ♦Commented Dec 24, 2012 at 15:24
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@tchrist Oops, meant offending space, which would make it two words. Commented Dec 24, 2012 at 15:29