moratorium

American  

[mawr-uh-tawr-ee-uhm, -tohr-, mor-] / ˌmɔr əˈtɔr i əm, -ˈtoʊr-, ˌmɒr- /

noun

plural

moratoria, moratoriums

1. a suspension of activity.

   a moratorium on the testing of nuclear weapons.

2. a legally authorized period to delay payment of money due or the performance of some other legal obligation, as in an emergency.

3. an authorized period of delay or waiting.

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moratorium British  

/ -trɪ, ˈmɒrətərɪ, ˌmɒrəˈtɔːrɪəm /

noun

1. a legally authorized postponement of the fulfilment of an obligation

2. an agreed suspension of activity

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moratorium Cultural  

1. A period of delay agreed to by parties to a dispute or parties who are negotiating. A moratorium may also be an authorized delay in the repayment of a loan, especially by a nation (as in a moratorium on war debts).

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Usage

What does moratorium mean? A moratorium is most commonly an official suspension or delay of some activity. Moratorium often specifically refers to the postponement of the requirement to make some kind of payment, such as rent.Such moratoriums are often enacted during emergencies or other unusual circumstances in order to provide relief to people who have lost their usual source of income. Another kind of moratorium is imposed by governments or international bodies on particular activities, such as nuclear testing or offshore drilling.Moratoriums are often temporary. They can be scheduled to end after a specified period of time, or they can be indefinite, meaning the end date will be decided later.Moratorium is also used casually (often as part of a joke) to mean an informal ban on something that you want to stop, as in I think it’s time to put a moratorium on watching TV for a while, kids. The correct plural of moratorium can be either moratoriums or moratoria. Technically speaking, moratoria is the Latin-based plural form of moratorium. (Many other Latin-derived words can be pluralized in the same way, but many are rarely used, such as stadia as the plural for stadium.)Example: Due to the pandemic, some local governments have placed a moratorium on utility payments since so many people are out of work and won’t be able to pay their bills.

Other Word Forms

• moratory adjective

Etymology

Origin of moratorium

1870–75; < New Latin, Late Latin morātōrium, noun use of neuter of morātōrius moratory

Example Sentences

A downturn in the AI sector, whether through a data center moratorium or otherwise, could result in a pullback in their spending and a decline in stock prices.

From Salon

Analysts say tougher measures will likely be needed to put a serious dent in demand for Russian oil globally, including a moratorium on imports of diesel and other fuels from Turkey.

From The Wall Street Journal

“Since the moratorium has taken effect, people are going a year or more without paying rent,” April Black, executive director of the Tacoma Housing Authority, told the local press this month.

From The Wall Street Journal

“California hasn’t carried out an execution in decades, and Newsom had placed a moratorium on the death penalty,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times

More than 200 environmental groups in the US recently demanded a moratorium on new data centres in the country.

From BBC

Related Words

• ban
• delay
• freeze
• halt
• pause
• postponement
• reprieve
• truce