interlude

American  

[in-ter-lood] / ˈɪn tərˌlud /

noun

• interludes
  plural

1. an intervening episode, period, space, etc.

   Synonyms:

   pause, intermission, respite, interval

2. 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.

3. one of the early English farces or comedies, as those written by John Heywood, which grew out of such pieces.

4. any intermediate performance or entertainment, as between the acts of a play.

5. an instrumental passage or a piece of music rendered between the parts of a song, church service, drama, etc.

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interlude British  

/ ˈɪntəˌluːd /

noun

1. a period of time or different activity between longer periods, processes, or events; episode or interval

2. theatre a short dramatic piece played separately or as part of a longer entertainment, common in 16th-century England

3. a brief piece of music, dance, etc, given between the sections of another performance

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interludial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• interludes
  plural

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".

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interlude interludes

There will be a drier and brighter interlude on Wednesday, with the rest of the week staying a little unsettled with further spells of rain.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

I can still remember how blue the skies in California seemed during that brief interlude.

From Salon ● Sep. 14, 2026

A poolside interlude channels the tension of distance between two people who were once close: The woman grasps a book but seems primarily absorbed in melancholy; the man broods around her.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

Markets treated that memorandum of understanding as the end to the war, but it was actually a short-lived interlude “in an ongoing war,” analysts at Piper Sandler said in a note.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 14, 2026

“Precisely. This is the kind of bizarre academic interlude that profits absolutely no one.”

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party" by M.T. Anderson

Later in the month, areas of high pressure may have more influence on the weather which would mean longer dry interludes and the chance of above-average daytime temperatures.

From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026

The new set squeezes 20 tracks into a 46-minute runtime, many of which are short interludes designed to keep things moving.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Anchored on a near-orchestral soundstage, its 20 tracks ricochet from in-your-face punk dissonance to majestic broken-heart dirges, a lovely duet with St. Vincent, rootsy folk interludes and farfisa-rich lounge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

Whilst there will be some cloud at times, for most there will be some brighter or sunnier interludes with temperatures in the low to mid-teens.

From BBC ● Apr. 17, 2026

Then other instruments, notably sax, trombone and trumpet, perform similarly athletic interludes atop the structure.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Related Words

• breathing space
• idyll
• lull
• respite