short-term

1. Involving or lasting a relatively brief time.
2. 1. Payable or reaching maturity within a relatively brief time, such as a year: a short-term loan.
   2. Acquired over a relatively brief time: short-term capital gains.

1. In general, holding an asset for short period of time.

2. In accounting, an asset expected to be converted into cash in the next year, or a liability coming due in the next year. Also known as current assets and liabilities.

3. For investing, a security that matures in one year or less.

4. For taxes, a holding period of less that one year.

Investopedia Says:
As you can see from above, the exact definition depends on the context. However, in general, you can think of short term as within the next year.

The determination can be very important for taxes. Assets held short-term are generally taxed at a higher rate than assets held for more than a year.

Related Links:
Read up on some ratios that test whether a company is strong enough to survive tough times. Do Your Investments Have Short-Term Health?
These two approaches aren't incompatible - learn how to get the best of both worlds. What Can Investors Learn From Traders?
These guiding principles will help you avoid common folly during the decision-making process. Ten Tips For The Successful Long-Term Investor
Investors would be wise to consider the impact of the government's cut on their returns. Learn ways to minimize it. A Long-Term Mindset Meets Dreaded Capital-Gains Tax
Forget the latest craze - you're more likely to succeed with a buy-and-hold strategy. Long-Term Investing: Hot Or Not?

Periodical subscription sold for a duration of less than one year. trial offers are frequently made on a short-term basis, encouraging high order rates but placing a financial burden on the publisher, who must spread the cost of the subscription sale across fewer issues.

Accounting: assets expected to be converted into cash within the normal operating cycle (usually one year), or liabilities coming due in one year or less. See also Current Assets; Current Liability.

Investment: investment with a maturity of one year or less.

Taxation: stock, bonds, or other property held less than one year, the capital gains on which were once taxed as ordinary income, in contrast to long-term gains, which were once taxed at a more favorable rate.

adjective

Intended, used, or present for a limited time: impermanent, interim, provisional, short-range, temporary. See continue/stop/pause.