interstitial
Americanadjective
-
pertaining to, situated in, or forming interstices.
-
Anatomy. situated between the cells of a structure or part.
interstitial tissue.
noun
adjective
-
of or relating to an interstice or interstices
-
physics forming or occurring in an interstice
an interstitial atom
-
chem containing interstitial atoms or ions
an interstitial compound
-
anatomy zoology occurring in the spaces between organs, tissues, etc
interstitial cells
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of interstitial
1640–50; < Latin interstiti ( um ) interstice + -al 1
Explanation
Interstitial has to do with small spaces, called "interstices." Interstices can be literal spaces, like the gaps between your teeth, or they can be figurative, like the few minutes you have between classes. You'll notice that when the noun interstice becomes the adjective interstitial, the -ce- changes to a -ti-. That's a fairly common spelling shift — difference becomes differential, for instance, where the -ti- is actually pronounced like -sh- or -ch-.
Vocabulary lists containing interstitial
Shout
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Vincent and Theo
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The Collectors
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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.
But Paul Irving, the 74-year-old former chairman of the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging, calls the 70s “a really interesting interstitial period that we haven’t talked about enough.”
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 23, 2026
And for the many interstitial scenes in the woods, Franklin Canyon and its lush forest stood in.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Salmon is married to artist and illustrator Fiona Hawthorne, who previously revealed she was diagnosed with a rare lung condition, interstitial lung disease, which requires her to use an oxygen tank.
From BBC ● Jan. 1, 2026
Insmed announced the acquisition of antibody INS1148 for Phase 2 development in interstitial lung disease and asthma.
From Barron's ● Dec. 18, 2025
They are part of each other, interstitial: lodged between each others cells.
From "Vincent and Theo: The Van Gogh Brothers" by Deborah Heiligman
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.
