trimester
学期
解説 Definition
妊娠期間の3つの段階のいずれか。妊娠は約280日で、各3ヶ月の期間に分けられる。
A trimester is one of three equal periods of time into which something is divided. It is commonly used for the school year in some countries, and also for the stages of pregnancy. The exact meaning usually depends on the context.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
tri- は triangle や triple の「3」。そこに semester を重ねると形から覚えやすいです。semester は2学期制の「学期」、trimester は「3か月で一区切りの期間・学期」。妊娠では全体を first / second / third trimester の3段階に分けるので、その定型表現ごと覚えると定着します。quarter は4分の1、semester は2区分、trimester は3区分、という並びで整理すると混同しにくいです。
Notice the prefix tri-, the same idea as in triangle or tricycle: it points to three. So a trimester is a period divided into three parts, and you often meet it in fixed phrases like first trimester, second trimester, and third trimester. Remember it with common medical phrases such as morning sickness in the first trimester.
例文
Morning sickness often occurs during the first trimester.
つわりはしばしば妊娠初期に起こります。
The second trimester is usually the easiest period of pregnancy.
妊娠中期は通常妊娠期間の中で最も楽な時期です。
In the third trimester, many women experience back pain.
妊娠後期、多くの女性は腰痛を経験します。
trimester の類義語・関連語
紛らわしい語
trimester の語源・成り立ち Etymology
trimester はラテン語 tri-「3」と mensis「月」からでき、フランス語 trimestre を経た語です。tri- と -mester に分けられ、triple や semester が仲間です。もともと「3か月の区切り」なので、学期を表すのも自然だと分かります。
Trimester comes through French trimestre from Latin parts meaning tri- "three" and mensis "month." It literally meant a period of three months. Because of that basic time sense, it later came to be used for divisions of a school year as well; triple and semester show related elements.
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