interregnum

noun

in·​ter·​reg·​num ˌin-tə-ˈreg-nəm How to pronounce interregnum (audio)
plural interregnums or interregna ˌin-tə-ˈreg-nə How to pronounce interregnum (audio)
1
: the time during which a throne is vacant between two successive reigns or regimes
2
: a period during which the normal functions of government or control are suspended
3
: a lapse or pause in a continuous series

Did you know?

Every time a pope dies, there's an interregnum period before a new one is elected by the cardinals. In most democratic systems, however, the law specifies who should take office when a president or prime minister dies unexpectedly, and since the power usually passes automatically, there's no true interregnum. The question of succession—that is, of who should take over when a country's leader dies—has often presented huge problems for countries that lacked a constitution, and in monarchies it hasn't always been clear who should become king or queen when a monarch dies. The interregnum following the death of Edward VI in 1553, for instance, was briefly suspended when Lady Jane Grey was installed as Queen; nine days later she was replaced by Mary Tudor, who sent her straight to the Tower of London.

Examples of interregnum in a Sentence

the democratic regime proved to be a short-lived interregnum between dictatorships
Recent Examples on the Web In 2020, after an 800-year interregnum, parts of the land started shaking, quaking and inflating, signifying the incursion of magma from deep below. Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2024 Rabin, who as chief of staff had masterminded the strategy and tactics that made the Israel Defense Forces so remarkably successful, understood that a conflict that ends without peace is merely an interregnum until the next war breaks out. Daniel Kurtzer, The Atlantic, 14 Dec. 2023 During this interregnum, new approaches to global economic government were emerging which crystallized during the Second World War. Martin Daunton, Fortune, 17 Nov. 2023 A lot of that revitalization went unseen by the international film community, however, thanks to the long interregnum of the pandemic. Patrick Brzeski, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Oct. 2023 Maybe the movies are on life support, slogging through some long interregnum, waiting for some new, fresh form to replace it. John Semley, WIRED, 9 Oct. 2023 Because that’s really what this collection was (or seemed to be): not a major statement, but rather a cleansing interregnum after the overblown muchness of Mr. Michele’s tenure. Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 23 Sep. 2023 Many Americans are accustomed to thinking of World War II as the end of one era and the beginning of another, but for the American left, the war was a strange interregnum. David Klion, The New Republic, 21 July 2023 But there is some suggestion that these populations lost their connection to Christianity in the interregnum. Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 24 June 2011

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'interregnum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from inter- + regnum reign — more at reign

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of interregnum was in 1590

Dictionary Entries Near interregnum

Cite this Entry

“Interregnum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interregnum. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

interregnum

noun
in·​ter·​reg·​num ˌint-ə-ˈreg-nəm How to pronounce interregnum (audio)
plural interregnums or interregna -nə How to pronounce interregnum (audio)
: a period between two successive reigns or regimes

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