In a financial context, duration refers to the measure of the sensitivity of the price of a bond or debt instrument to a change in interest rates. It estimates the change in a bond’s price for a 1% change in interest rates.
However, in a general context, duration simply refers to the length of time something lasts or continues.
In the field of music and sound, duration refers to the length of time that a particular note or sound is heard.
In project management, duration refers to the total time needed to complete a particular task or activity as part of a larger project.