Interval Meaning
/ˈɪntəvəʊ/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA distance in space.
nounA period of time.
Sentence Examples
During the interval, Takashi and Harumi got a drink at the theater bar.
There was a two hour's interval to the next train.
The interval between major earthquakes might be 200 years.
CEFR Practice Quiz
There was a short ____ between the two acts of the play for the audience to buy drinks.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The runners rested for a brief ____ before starting their final sprint toward the finish line.
Word Origin & History
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”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"'Twixt host and host but narrow space was left, / A dreadful interval."
— 1667, John Milton, “Book VI”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
"[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 […]"
— 1666 September 8, The London Gazette:
"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."
— 2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
There was a short ____ between the two acts of the play for the audience to buy drinks.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The runners rested for a brief ____ before starting their final sprint toward the finish line.