hiatus
/hʌɪˈeɪtəs
/noun (plural hiatuses) [usually in singular]
1A pause or break in continuity in a sequence or activity: there was a brief hiatus in the war with France...
- The bombing raids were resumed after a brief hiatus on Friday.
- Apologies for the brief hiatus in commentary, as I watch Wayne Rooney score England's third.
- After a brief hiatus he put a new band together and came out of the recording studio with this collection of songs.
Synonyms
pause, break, interval, interruption, suspension, intermission, interlude, gap, lacuna, lull, rest, respite, breathing space, time out;
North American recess
informal breather, let-up
archaic surcease
1.1 Prosody & Grammar A break between two vowels coming together but not in the same syllable, as in the ear and cooperate.
Synonyms
opening, aperture, cavity, hole, gap, cleft, breach, fissure;
Medicine foramen
Derivatives
hiatal
Origin
Mid 16th century (originally denoting a physical gap): from Latin, literally 'gaping', from hiare 'gape'.