Meaning & use
episode
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
One program in a television or radio series.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'of': an episode of a show.
Patterns
- an episode of a show
- the first episode
- watch an episode
The final episode of the series attracted millions of viewers.
I missed last night's episode, so I watched it online this morning.
Each episode begins with a short recap of the previous one.
nouncountable
A single event or period that stands out within a longer series of events.
Grammar: Countable; often used with 'of': an episode of violence.
Patterns
- an episode of something
- a brief episode
- a violent episode
That embarrassing episode at the party was soon forgotten.
The country experienced a brief episode of economic growth.
He described the accident as the worst episode of his life.
nouncountablemedical
A short period when someone has particular medical symptoms or a sudden illness.
Grammar: Countable; common in medical contexts: an episode of chest pain.
Patterns
- an episode of something
- a depressive episode
- a severe episode
She had an episode of severe chest pain and was taken to hospital.
The doctor asked how often these episodes of dizziness occurred.
He was treated for a depressive episode last year.
Word forms
| plural | episodes |
|---|
Common combinations
- an episode of a TV series
- The latest episode of the TV series was the best yet.
- a brief episode
- He had a brief episode of confusion after the fall.
- a recurring episode
- She suffers from recurring episodes of migraine.
- the opening episode
- The opening episode introduces all the main characters.
- a violent episode
- The film shows a violent episode from the war.
Synonyms and how they differ
- installment
- Installment is used for a part of a series released in stages, especially in publishing or online; episode is the usual word for TV and radio.
- incident
- Incident is a single event, often unpleasant, but not part of a planned series; episode can suggest a link to a larger sequence.
- attack
- Attack is common for a sudden medical event like a heart attack; episode is broader and can describe any period of symptoms.
Word family
- episodic adjective
- Happening at irregular intervals or in separate parts.
Commonly confused: episode or series?
episode vs series
A series is the whole set of programs; an episode is one part of it. Don't say 'I watched a series' when you mean one episode.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'episode' in the medical sense?
Choose one answer.
An episode of dizziness is a short period of medical symptoms. Option A refers to a TV program, option C also refers to a TV program, and option D refers to a historical event.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “episode”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.