interregnum
UK[ˌɪntəˈreɡnəm]US[ˌɪntəˈreɡnəm]
n
A period when normal government is suspended, especially between successive reigns or regimes.
n
An interval or pause between two periods of office or other things.
Morpheme Breakdown
inter
regnum
inter
between
regnum
reign
Etymology
The word 'interregnum' is a direct borrowing from Latin, formed from the preposition 'inter' (between) and 'regnum' (kingship, rule). It entered English in the late 16th century, retaining its original political sense of a gap in sovereign authority between the death of one ruler and the accession of the next. The literal "between-reign" meaning logically extends to any period of discontinuity or suspension in control, governance, or continuity within an organization or system. Its construction perfectly encapsulates the concept of a hiatus in power or normal order.
Analysis
Structure: inter (between) + regnum (reign)
- inter: Latin origin, meaning "between, among". A prefix indicating location or interval.
- regnum: Latin origin, meaning "kingship, reign, rule". A noun-forming element.
Examples
The council governed the country during the brief interregnum following the king's death.
There was a creative interregnum between the director's departure and the appointment of her successor.
The treaty was signed to ensure stability during the political interregnum.