interval

noun

in·​ter·​val ˈin-tər-vəl How to pronounce interval (audio)
plural intervals
1
a
: a space of time between events or states
a two-month interval between medical treatments
There were long intervals during the game in which nothing exciting happened.
b
British : intermission
There was a twenty minute interval between acts two and three.
2
: the difference in pitch between two tones
3
: a space between objects, units, points, or states
The posts were set up at regular intervals along the road.
4
: one of a series of fast-paced or intense physical exercises alternated with slower or less intense ones or brief rests for training (as of an athlete) see also interval training
5
: a set of real numbers between two numbers either including or excluding one or both of them
intervallic adjective

Examples of interval in a Sentence

a three-month interval between jobs There might be long intervals during which nothing happens. The sun shone for brief intervals throughout the day. There will be a 20-minute interval between acts one and two.
Recent Examples on the Web Once the kernels are popping in 2-second intervals, the popcorn is ready. Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 8 Mar. 2024 Shortly after the play’s interval, the house lights come on and the audience is invited to ask questions about the play’s central theme. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 The groups were paired based on age, gender, and time interval between vaccination and exposure to the virus later on, the study said. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 7 Feb. 2024 Skipping forward in two 12-year intervals, the film asks questions about love, time and geographic barriers that strike a nerve in all manner of viewers. Chris Vognar, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2024 The tests were generally done years apart, though the exact interval varied by participant. Aria Bendix, NBC News, 30 Jan. 2024 So for the sequence xn = {α log n}, the points seem to cluster to the left of the interval between 0 and 1. Christopher Lutsko, Scientific American, 30 Jan. 2024 Solar activity varies in fairly predictable 11 year cycles, meaning there are more sunspots and flares at certain intervals. Popular Science, 29 Feb. 2024 The scientist is in the midst of giving a lecture on manipulating pigeons by controlling the conditions and intervals in which the pigeons are fed. Giovanni René Rodriguez, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'interval.' 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

Middle English intervalle, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French entreval, from Latin intervallum space between ramparts, interval, from inter- + vallum rampart — more at wall

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of interval was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near interval

Cite this Entry

“Interval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/interval. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

interval

noun
in·​ter·​val ˈint-ər-vəl How to pronounce interval (audio)
1
: a period of time between events or states : pause
a three-month interval
the interval between elections
2
: a space between things
the interval between two desks
3
: difference in pitch between tones

Medical Definition

interval

noun
in·​ter·​val ˈint-ər-vəl How to pronounce interval (audio)
: a space of time between events or states
intervals between pregnancies

More from Merriam-Webster on interval

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