interregnum
Americannoun
plural
interregnums, interregna-
an interval of time between the close of a sovereign's reign and the accession of their normal or legitimate successor.
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any period during which a state has no ruler or only a temporary executive.
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any period of freedom from the usual authority.
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any pause or interruption in continuity.
noun
-
an interval between two reigns, governments, incumbencies, etc
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any period in which a state lacks a ruler, government, etc
-
a period of absence of some control, authority, etc
-
a gap in a continuity
Other Word Forms
- interregnal adjective
Etymology
Origin of interregnum
First recorded in 1570–80; from Latin; originally “the period between the death of the old king and the accession of the new one,” equivalent to inter- preposition and prefix + regnum “office or power of a king, kingship, kingdom”; inter-, reign
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.
While he was at the Center for Renewing America, the think tank he founded during his private sector interregnum, Vought indicated a few concrete ways he could push his vision.
From Slate • Feb. 24, 2025
Catching up with Oscar nominees you’ve missed, after all, is another reason the interregnum exists; even this seemingly late in the process, a sense of discovery is possible.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 7, 2024
Under the British constitution, a sovereign succeeds to the throne the moment his or her predecessor dies, before being proclaimed to the people, so there is no interregnum.
From Reuters • Sep. 6, 2023
The Sugarplum Fairy, after an unsought interregnum, is presiding over the Land of Sweets at the New York City Ballet.
From New York Times • Dec. 21, 2022
While blacks did win the right to vote when the Republican Party came to power three years later, and even served in various offices, the interregnum lasted less than a decade.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
