Interval
/ˈɪn.tə.væl/noun
A space or period between things, events, or points in time.
Did you know?The word comes through Old French from Latin inter- (“between”) + vallis (“valley”), so an interval was originally a gap like the hollow between hills — not just a pause in time.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dʰel-
“to hollow out, split, or carve”
Latin
Latin
intervallum
“a space between ramparts; an interval, gap”
Old French
OF
intervalle
“space between, pause”
Middle English
English
interval
“a space between things or times”
Modern English
English
interval
“a space or period between things, events, or points in time”