Interruption
/ˌɪntəˈrʌpʃən/noun
An act of stopping or breaking the continuity of something.
Did you know?In ancient Rome, interruptions were often seen as omens, suggesting that divine forces were at play, disrupting human affairs.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*reup-
“To break or burst”
Latin
Latin
interrumpere
“To break between or to stop”
Old French
Old French
interrompre
“To interrupt or break in”
14th Century
Middle English
interrupcion
“The action of breaking into or halting”
Modern English
English
interruption
“The act of stopping or hindering a process or speech”
Explore more surprising origins