interlocutory
Americanadjective
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of the nature of, pertaining to, or occurring in conversation.
interlocutory instruction.
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interjected into the main course of speech.
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Law.
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pronounced during the course of an action, as a decision; not finally decisive of a case.
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pertaining to an intermediate decision.
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adjective
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law pronounced during the course of proceedings; provisional
an interlocutory injunction
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interposed, as into a conversation, narrative, etc
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of, relating to, or characteristic of dialogue
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of interlocutory
From the Medieval Latin word interlocūtōrius, dating back to 1580–90. See interlocutor, -tory 1
Explanation
Interlocutory can mean "conversational," like the awkward dialogue that two strangers might have about the weather while riding in an elevator. The Latin root of interlocutory is interloqui, "speak between." These days, this adjective is most often used in a legal context, to mean "temporary" or "non-final." An interlocutory decree, for example, is a judge's decision that doesn't settle the whole matter, but needs further court action to be complete. This definition comes from the "speak between" root of interlocutory, a reference to the period between legal actions, or discussion that happens in the middle of a lawsuit.
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.
The court emphasized that in criminal cases, the compelling interest in prompt trials demands that courts apply the interlocutory appeal doctrine “with utmost strictness.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 3, 2024
Judge Anthony Chan on Wednesday granted the government permission to appeal against his previous ruling, but insisted the grant of an interlocutory injunction banning the song is a matter for the court to decide.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 23, 2023
When Mr. Harvey lost a pretrial motion, his lawyers filed what is known as an interlocutory appeal with the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.
From Washington Post ● Feb. 4, 2022
Earlier this year, Burns filed an interlocutory appeal asking the higher court to reverse a judge’s decision allowing prosecutor Neal Pinkston to continue prosecuting the case.
From Washington Times ● Apr. 6, 2017
Section 266 was amended again in 1925 when the provisions concerning interlocutory injunctions were extended to include permanent injunctions.
From The Constitution of the United States of America: Analysis and Interpretation Annotations of Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States to June 30, 1952 by Corwin, Edward Samuel
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.
