Terms refers to conditions or stipulations set in an agreement, or to designated words or expressions used within a particular field. It can also mean the established phrases used to describe a subject (e.g., legal terms, medical terms). In everyday use, it often denotes the specific provisions of a contract or the language chosen for a discussion. The term also appears in phrases like “on terms” or “by terms of.”
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"The contract lists several payment terms, including due dates and late fees."
"In linguistics, you study the technical terms used to describe syntax and phonology."
"We agreed on favorable payment terms before signing the lease."
"The glossary provides the key terms used in this clinical guideline."
Terms comes from Old Englishtemian, related to the verb temian meaning ‘to fix, appoint, order,’ which itself traces to Proto-Germanic *tamjanan. The word evolved from meanings tied to “arrangements” or “conditions” in agreements, akin to “terms of a treaty.” Middle English used terms more in the sense of expressions used to describe things, especially in formal or legal contexts. Over time, “term” broadened into a general reference for a fixed period (as in terms of office) and for a word or expression used within a field (technical terms). The modern plural “terms” frequently collocates with contract language, conditions, and stipulations, emphasizing defined provisions or specialized vocabulary. The first known recorded uses appear in medieval legal and scholastic texts, where precise terminology was essential for binding agreements and scientific discourse. By the early modern period, terms had cemented its double sense: the vocabulary of a domain and the conditions prescribed in an agreement. The evolution reflects a shift from concrete, fixed stipulations to abstract, domain-specific vocabulary that professionals rely on to establish clarity and precision. In contemporary English, terms remains a versatile, high-register word common in business, law, and academia, signaling both the content of an agreement and the specialized lexicon of a field.
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Words that rhyme with "terms"
-rms sounds
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You say it as TERMZ in US English and TERMZ in UK/AU as well, with the stressed first syllable. IPA: US/UK/AU: /tɜrmz/ or /təːmz/ depending on the speaker. The vowel is a mid-central rhotacized vowel in rhotic accents (US) often transcribed /ɜr/ or /ɜː/; the final sound is a voiced alveolar fricative or stop, typically /z/. Keep the tongue centered, jaw relaxed, and end with a crisp /z/ sound, avoiding an extra syllable or an /s/ instead of /z/.
Two common errors: (1) Using a short, lax vowel as in /tɜr/ with reduced schwa; correct is /tɜː/ (or /tɜr/ in rhotic accents) with a stable, mid-central vowel. (2) Ending with an unvoiced /s/ rather than the voiced /z/; ensure voicing is audible as /z/. To correct, practice holding the vowel position from /t/ through the nucleus, then release into /z/. You’ll hear a crisp, single syllable phase: TERMZ.
In US English, /tɜrmz/ with a rhotacized /ɜr/ and a clear /z/. In UK English, /tɜːmz/ may have a longer /ɜː/ vowel and less rhotic coloring in some regions, but the /z/ remains. In Australian English, /tɜːmz/ similar to UK, with a slightly flatter vowel and non-rhotic tendencies in some speakers but often more rhotic than British in modern usage. Overall, vowel length and rhoticity vary, but the final /z/ is consistent.
The challenge comes from the mid-central vowel /ɜ/ or /ɜː/ and the voiced final /z/ in fluent speech; some speakers insert a short vowel between /t/ and /ɜː/ (saying /tɜr/ or /təːrmz/). Additionally, numerous non-rhotic dialects may subtly alter the vowel quality and the consonant onset. Focus on keeping the nucleus steady and trimming any epenthetic vowels while delivering a final voiced /z/.
Is there a syllable boundary issue in rapid speech? Not typically: terms is a closed monosyllable with a stable /t/ onset, a single nucleus /ɜː/ or /ɜr/, and a final voiced /z/. In rapid speech you may hear a slight assimilation where the /t/ and /ɜ/ blend, but the final /z/ remains perceptible. Practice delivering TERMZ with minimal movement after the /t/ to maintain a clean, short nucleus and a crisp /z/.
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