periodization: Meaning and Definition of

pe•ri•od•i•za•tion

Pronunciation: (pēr"ē-u-du-zā'shun), [key]
— n.
  1. an act or instance of dividing a subject into historical eras for purposes of analysis and study.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.