interval

[ in-ter-vuhl ]

/ ˈɪn tər vəl /

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See synonyms for: interval / intervals on Thesaurus.com

noun

an intervening period of time: an interval of 50 years.

a period of temporary cessation; pause: intervals between the volleys of gunfire.

a space between things, points, limits, etc.; interspace: an interval of ten feet between posts.

Mathematics.

the totality of points on a line between two designated points or endpoints that may or may not be included.
any generalization of this to higher dimensions, as a rectangle with sides parallel to the coordinate axes.

the space between soldiers or units in military formation.

Music. the difference in pitch between two tones, as between two tones sounded simultaneously (harmonic interval ) or between two tones sounded successively (melodic interval ).

Chiefly New England. intervale.

Cards. a period in a game for placing bets.

British. an intermission, as between the acts of a play.

OTHER WORDS FOR interval

3 opening, gap, separation, gulf.

See synonyms for interval on Thesaurus.com

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Idioms about interval

at intervals,

at particular periods of time; now and then: At intervals, there were formal receptions at the governor's mansion.
at particular places, with gaps in between: detour signs at intervals along the highway.

Origin of interval

1250–1300; Middle English intervall(e) <Latin intervallum interval, literally, space between two palisades. See inter-, wall

OTHER WORDS FROM interval

in·ter·val·ic, in·ter·val·lic

[in-ter-val-ik], /ˌɪn tərˈvæl ɪk/, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH interval

interval , period

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use interval in a sentence

For those who were fed up with margins of error, confidence intervals, and gray areas, Richman’s numbers were refreshing.
How claims of voter fraud were supercharged by bad science|Bobbie Johnson|November 1, 2020|MIT Technology Review
It pairs well with the goals of the project, delivering exceptional ride quality and very long service intervals, in addition to good weather resistance.
Inside My Custom Toyota Land Cruiser Build|Wes Siler|October 15, 2020|Outside Online
What the research reaffirms, Eagles says, is the importance of adopting best practices when it comes to personal hygiene—such as washing your hands at regular intervals, and cleaning surfaces.
COVID-19 can survive up to 28 days on phone screens and money, new research shows|eamonbarrett|October 12, 2020|Fortune
Some higher elevation forests probably also had blazes, though the interval between flames was somewhere around 40 to 80 years, explains Kip Van de Water, an acting fire management specialist with the Forest Service in Klamath National Forest.
How we can burn our way to a better future|Ula Chrobak|October 2, 2020|Popular-Science

If interval training is about feeling the burn, tempo runs are meant to increase the time you can spend close to the fire without getting too hot.
Why You Need to Master the Tempo Run|Martin Fritz Huber|October 1, 2020|Outside Online
Intervallic characteristics may place the badge of relationship upon melodies as distinctly as rhythmic.
How to Listen to Music, 7th ed.|Henry Edward Krehbiel

British Dictionary definitions for interval

interval

/ (ˈɪntəvəl) /

noun

the period of time marked off by or between two events, instants, etc

the distance between two points, objects, etc

a pause or interlude, as between periods of intense activity

British a short period between parts of a play, concert, film, etc; intermission

music the difference of pitch between two notes, either sounded simultaneously (harmonic interval) or in succession as in a musical part (melodic interval). An interval is calculated by counting the (inclusive) number of notes of the diatonic scale between the two notesthe interval between C and G is a fifth

the ratio of the frequencies of two sounds

maths the set containing all real numbers or points between two given numbers or points, called the endpoints. A closed interval includes the endpoints, but an open interval does not

at intervals

occasionally or intermittently
with spaces between

Derived forms of interval

intervallic (ˌɪntəˈvælɪk), adjective

Word Origin for interval

C13: from Latin intervallum, literally: space between two palisades, from inter- + vallum palisade, rampart

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

interval

OTHER WORDS FOR interval

Idioms about interval

Origin of interval

OTHER WORDS FROM interval

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH interval

Words related to interval

How to use interval in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for interval

Derived forms of interval

Word Origin for interval