interpolation

American  

[in-tur-puh-ley-shuhn] / ɪnˌtɜr pəˈleɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act or process of interpolating or the state of being interpolated.

2. something interpolated, as a passage introduced into a text.

3. Mathematics.

   1. the process of determining the value of a function between two points at which it has prescribed values.

   2. a similar process using more than two points at which the function has prescribed values.

   3. the process of approximating a given function by using its values at a discrete set of points.

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interpolation British  

/ ɪnˌtɜːpəˈleɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of interpolating or the state of being interpolated

2. something interpolated

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Other Word Forms

• noninterpolation noun

Etymology

Origin of interpolation

First recorded in 1605–15, interpolation is from the Latin word interpolātiōn- (stem of interpolātiō ). See interpolate, -ion

Explanation

An interpolation is an interruption or an addition inserted into something spoken or written. If you’re telling someone about the wild day you had, and your best friend keeps interrupting you to add details, that’s interpolation. Notice how interpolation looks a lot like interruption and interjection? It means something very similar. If you tell a story and then add some new parts, those are interpolations. If someone else adds new parts as you’re telling the story, that’s interpolation, too. Many ancient books have had new interpolations added every time they were printed. All interpolations add something to the original.

Example Sentences

The framework relies on a mathematical strategy known as "tensor train cross interpolation" to achieve this compression.

From Science Daily • Mar. 15, 2026

The production offers clues to this: In a silent interpolation, the Isolde double gives birth after Tristan dies, and Ms. Davidsen seemed to be singing her “Liebestod” to the baby.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Swift used an interpolation of Michael’s song in her track of the same name — with a gleeful sign-off from the late singer’s estate.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2025

The girlies get their version of this too, with a Dodge commercial that centers on Glen Powell’s interpolation of Goldilocks and the Three Bears via a kind of bland bro-coded online masculinity.

From Slate • Feb. 10, 2025

But this additional interpolation is in style and language unlike the words of any Gospels, and ends with the vapid piece of information, “and this shall be useful to thee.”

From The Traditional Text of the Holy Gospels by Burgon, John William

Related Words

• addition
• debut
• establishment
• inauguration
• influx
• initiation
• installation
• launch
• opening
• preface
• presentation