interval
IN-ter-vuhl
/ˈɪntəvəl/
An intervening time or space.
Usually refers to the gap between two specific events or points.
The story behind the word. From Latin 'intervallum', which literally meant the space between two 'valla' (ramparts or palisades). It moved from a military term for space to a general term for time.
Word relationships
- gap: Gap is more physical or informal; interval is more precise and often used for time.
- continuity: Continuity means no gaps; interval is the gap itself.
Commonly confused with
- duration: Interval is the time between events; duration is the length of an event.
Collocations
- time interval
- regular intervals
- at intervals
Example sentences
- "There was a short interval between the first and second acts of the play." Music/Performance
- "The absolute interval between two events is the same for all observers." Physics
Memory hook
Think of 'Intermission' at a movie. It's the interval between parts. Inter- = Between.
When not to use
Don't use when you mean the total length of time (that's 'duration').
Fun facts
- In music, an interval is the difference in pitch between two sounds.
Related words
Explore more words
interlude, hiatus, lacuna, intermission, intervene, intermittent
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