cancellation
kan-sul-AY-shun
/ˌkænsəˈleɪʃən/
The act of calling off a previously made reservation or booking.
Refers to the action taken by a guest to void a spot, or the open table that results from that action.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin cancelli (lattice-work or crossbars). Ancient Roman court clerks struck out voided legal contracts by drawing crisscross lattice lines over the text. Thus, canceling literally meant covering a page in lattice marks!
Word relationships
- withdrawal: 'Withdrawal' usually applies to funds or applications, whereas 'cancellation' applies to bookings.
- confirmation: A confirmation solidifies a booking, whereas a cancellation revokes it.
Commonly confused with
- delay: A delay pushes back arrival time, while a cancellation completely terminates the booking.
Word family
- cancel (verb): To revoke or call off.
- canceled (adjective): Revoked or no longer active.
Collocations
- cancellation fee
- cancellation policy
- last-minute cancellation
- receive a cancellation
Idioms & expressions
- call off
Example sentences
- "The restaurant requires twenty-four hours notice for any cancellation to avoid a fee." Restaurant policy
Memory hook
CANCEL-lation means drawing an 'X' across your booking! Cross it off the book.
When not to use
Do not confuse with postponement, which shifts a booking to another time instead of voiding it.
Fun facts
- Top Michelin-starred restaurants often have cancellation notification lists with thousands of local food lovers waiting for last-minute table drops.
Related words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.