interval

English

Etymology

From Middle English interval, intervalle, from Old French intervalle, entreval, from Latin intervallum (“space between, interval, distance, interval of time, pause, difference; literally, space between two palisades or walls”), from inter (“between”) +‎ vallum (“palisade, wall”).

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɪntɚvəl/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɪntəvəl/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Audio (AU)

  (file)

• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧val

Noun

interval (plural intervals)

1. A distance in space.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], […], OCLC 228722708; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, OCLC 230729554:

     'Twixt host and host but narrow space was left, / A dreadful interval.

   • 1666, 8 September, The London Gazette

     [M]any attempts were made to prevent the spreading of it [the fire] by pulling down Houses, and making great Intervals, but all in vain, the Fire seizing upon the Timber and Rubbish, and so continuing it set even through those spaces […]

   • Distance definition

     The amount of space between two points, usually geographical points, usually (but not necessarily) measured along a straight line. (1 of 10 distance definitions)

   • Space definition

     Of time.

     1. Free time; leisure, opportunity.
     2. A specific (specified) period of time.
     3. An undefined period of time (without qualifier, especially a short period); a while.

     (1 of 21 space definitions)
2. A period of time.

   the interval between contractions during childbirth

   • Time definition

     The inevitable progression into the future with the passing of present and past events. (1 of 25 time definitions)
3. (music) The difference (a ratio or logarithmic measure) in pitch between two notes, often referring to those two pitches themselves (otherwise known as a dyad).

   • Music definition

     A series of sounds organized in time, employing melody, harmony, tempo etc. usually to convey a mood. (1 of 7 music definitions)

   • Ratio definition

     A number representing a comparison between two named things. (1 of 4 ratio definitions)

   • Logarithm definition

     For a number ${\displaystyle x}$ , the power to which a given base number must be raised in order to obtain ${\displaystyle x}$ . Written ${\displaystyle \log _{b}x}$ . For example, ${\displaystyle \log _{10}1000=3}$ because ${\displaystyle 10^{3}=1000}$ and ${\displaystyle \log _{2}16=4}$ because ${\displaystyle 2^{4}=16}$ .

   • Pitch definition

     A sticky, gummy substance secreted by trees; sap. (1 of 3 pitch definitions)

   • Note definition

     A symbol or annotation.

     1. A mark or token by which a thing may be known; a visible sign; a character; a distinctive mark or feature; a characteristic quality.
     2. A mark, or sign, made to call attention, to point out something to notice, or the like; a sign, or token, proving or giving evidence.
     3. A brief remark; a marginal comment or explanation; hence, an annotation on a text or author; a comment; a critical, explanatory, or illustrative observation.

     (1 of 23 note definitions)

   • Dyad definition

     A set of two elements treated as one; a pair. (1 of 8 dyad definitions)
4. (mathematics) A connected section of the real line which may be empty or have a length of zero.

   • Mathematics definition

     An abstract representational system studying numbers, shapes, structures, quantitative change and relationships between them. (1 of 2 mathematics definitions)

   • Connected definition

     (usually with "well-"): Having favorable rapport with a powerful entity. (1 of 7 connected definitions)

   • Real Line definition

     The real number system, viewed as a line.

   • Length definition

     The distance measured along the longest dimension of an object. (1 of 9 length definitions)
5. (chiefly Britain) An intermission.

   • Intermission definition

     A break between two performances or sessions, such as at a concert, play, seminar, or religious assembly.
6. (sports) half time, a scheduled intermission between the periods of play
   • 2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     Spain made three substitutions at the interval, sending on former Arsenal captain Fabregas, Chelsea's Juan Mata and Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina for Xavi, David Silva and Casillas.

   • Sports definition

     plural of sport

   • Half Time definition

     Alternative spelling of half-time
7. (cricket) Either of the two breaks, at lunch and tea, between the three sessions of a day's play

   • Cricket definition

     (1 of 5 cricket definitions)

   • Break definition

     To separate into two or more pieces, to fracture or crack, by a process that cannot easily be reversed for reassembly. (1 of 52 break definitions)

   • Lunch definition

     A light meal usually eaten around midday, notably when not as main meal of the day. (1 of 3 lunch definitions)

   • Tea definition

     The tea plant (Camellia sinensis); a variety of this plant. (1 of 12 tea definitions)

   • Session definition

     A period devoted to a particular activity, e.g. the annual or semiannual periods of a legislative body (that together comprise the legislative term) whose individual meetings are also called sessions. (1 of 8 session definitions)

   • Day definition

     ISO 639-2 & ISO 639-5 language code for Land Dayak languages.

   • Play definition

     To act in a manner such that one has fun; to engage in activities expressly for the purpose of recreation or entertainment. (1 of 26 play definitions)

Hyponyms

• (mathematics): open interval, half-open interval, closed interval, sub-interval/subinterval,

Derived terms

• even-interval

Related terms

• interval class
• interval cycle

Translations

Further reading

• interval in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• interval in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• interval at OneLook Dictionary Search.
• Interval on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Interval in the Encyclopædia Britannica (11th edition, 1911)

Anagrams

• linear TV

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin intervallum.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic) IPA^(key): /in.təɾˈval/
• (Central) IPA^(key): /in.tərˈbal/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /in.teɾˈval/

Noun

interval m (plural intervals)

1. interval

   • Interval definition

     A distance in space. (1 of 7 interval definitions)

Further reading

• “interval” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “interval”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2022
• “interval” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “interval” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɪntɛrval]

Noun

interval m inan

1. (mathematics) interval

Derived terms

• intervalový
• otevřený interval
• uzavřený interval
• interval spolehlivosti
• konfidenční interval

Further reading

• interval in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
• interval in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɪntərvɑl/

• Audio

  (file)

Noun

interval n (plural intervallen, diminutive intervalletje n)

1. interval

Derived terms

• integratie-interval

See also

• tussenruimte

Romanian

Etymology

From French intervalle, from Latin intervallum.

Noun

interval n (plural intervale)

1. interval

Declension

Serbo-Croatian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /intěrʋaːl/
• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧val

Noun

intèrvāl m (Cyrillic spelling интѐрва̄л)

1. interval

Declension