periodization

P3E1R1I1O1D2I1Z10A1T1I1O1N1

noun

The process of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods.

OriginEnglish period ← Middle English periode ← Middle French periode →
UncommonScrabble 25
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

nounperiodization (countable and uncountable, plural periodizations)

plural periodizations · alternative periodisation

  1. countableuncountableThe process of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods.
  2. countableuncountablehobbiesTraining in segments of a few weeks or months, so that training begins at lower intensity and is gradually increased to high intensity.
  3. countableuncountablemathematicsThe operation of forming a periodic function from a non-periodic function.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*per-
  2. Ancient Greekπερῐ́ (perĭ́)
  3. Proto-Indo-European*sed-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*sodós?
  5. Proto-Hellenic*hodós
  6. Ancient Greekὁδός (hodós)
  7. Ancient Greekπερῐ́οδος (perĭ́odos)
  8. Medieval Latinperiodus
  9. Middle Frenchperiode
  10. Middle Englishperiode
  11. Englishperiod
  12. Englishperiodization

From period + -ization.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish periodisering
  • periodiseringprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Dutch periodisering
  • periodiseringprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
German Periodisierung
  • Periodisierungprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Greek περιοδολόγηση
  • περιοδολόγηση (periodológisi)process of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Hungarian periodizáció
  • periodizációprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Italian periodizzazione
  • periodizzazioneprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Polish periodyzacja
  • periodyzacjaprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Portuguese periodização
  • periodizaçãoprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Russian периодизация
  • периодизация (periodizacija)process of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Spanish periodización
  • periodizaciónprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Swedish periodisering
  • periodiseringprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Ukrainian періодиза́ція
  • періодиза́ція (periodyzácija)process of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Vietnamese thời đại hóa, phân chia thời đại
  • thời đại hóaprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
  • phân chia thời đạiprocess of categorizing something (e.g. history) into named periods
Cite this entry
APA

periodization. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periodization

MLA

“periodization.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periodization. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “periodization,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/periodization.

Source: periodization on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.