interlude
Americannoun
-
an intervening episode, period, space, etc.
- Synonyms:
- pause, intermission, respite, interval
-
a short dramatic piece, especially of a light or farcical character, formerly introduced between the parts or acts of miracle and morality plays or given as part of other entertainments.
-
one of the early English farces or comedies, as those written by John Heywood, which grew out of such pieces.
-
any intermediate performance or entertainment, as between the acts of a play.
-
an instrumental passage or a piece of music rendered between the parts of a song, church service, drama, etc.
noun
-
a period of time or different activity between longer periods, processes, or events; episode or interval
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theatre a short dramatic piece played separately or as part of a longer entertainment, common in 16th-century England
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a brief piece of music, dance, etc, given between the sections of another performance
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of interlude
1275–1325; Middle English < Medieval Latin interlūdium, equivalent to Latin inter- inter- + lūd ( us ) play + -ium -ium
Explanation
An interlude is a brief period of time that comes in the middle of something. You might enjoy a relaxing lemonade interlude in the middle of a tough day at your road-paving job. Any block of time that comes as a break or a respite from an activity can be called an interlude, so you could talk about a quiet interlude after a noisy birthday party, or an interlude of peace after years of war. Interlude is often used to describe the pauses between acts of a play or during an intermission. In fact, the original meaning came from the Latin interludium, which means "between a play".
Vocabulary lists containing interlude
Power Prefix: inter-
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A Midsummer Night's Dream
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Franklin Roosevelt, "Four Freedoms" (1941)
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He’s right, and his administration will be judged by whether this is the real end or just a temporary interlude.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 20, 2026
One more brief, explosive interlude later, Ilya blurts out Shane’s name, and for the first time in all the years they’ve circled each other.
From Salon • Dec. 26, 2025
Later, after a chaotic interlude of rebel rule and an uncertain transition, he was elected head of state as a post-conflict and consensual civil-society figure.
From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025
Myanmar's military has ruled the Southeast Asian country for most of its post-independence history, before a 10-year interlude saw a civilian government take the reins in a burst of optimism and reform.
From Barron's • Dec. 25, 2025
I regretted saying it—I really did—but I think even if I hadn’t, our happy little interlude would have come to an end.
From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
