intermission

[in-ter-mish-uh n] /ˌɪn tərˈmɪʃ ən/

noun

a short interval between the acts of a play or parts of a public performance, usually a period of approximately 10 or 15 minutes, allowing the performers and audience a rest.

a period during which action temporarily ceases; an interval between periods of action or activity:

They studied for hours without an intermission.

the act or fact of intermitting; state of being intermitted:

to work without intermission.

Origin

1400-50; late Middle English < Latin intermissiōn- (stem of intermissiō) interruption, equivalent to intermiss(us) (past participle of intermittere to intermit) + -iōn- -ion

Examples from the web for intermission

The weekend is not free time but break time-an intermission.
About midnight there was an intermission in the music, presumably for supper.
It turned out to be a false alarm, but the inadvertent early intermission lasted about half an hour while the hall was inspected.
At the theater, the intermission crowd gave her a wide berth.
But he might have done better to change directions more decisively after intermission.
Courtesy, purity of taste, fineness of style are maintained without intermission.
The intermission chatter is generally smarter than it is in the socialite sectors.
It does make for a long evening-four hours, with one intermission.
One trusts he didn't mean these dancing delinquents will be roughing up random patrons during intermission.
And now consider whether a heart made of flesh, be able to endure so many misfortunes, all falling upon me without intermission.

British Dictionary definitions for intermission

intermission

/ˌɪntəˈmɪʃən/

noun

an interval, as between parts of a film

a period between events or activities; pause

the act of intermitting or the state of being intermitted

Derived Forms

intermissive, adjective

Word Origin

C16: from Latin intermissiō, from intermittere to leave off, intermit

Word Origin and History for intermission

early 15c., from Latin intermissionem (nominative intermissio) "interruption," noun of action from past participle stem of intermittere "to leave off," from inter- "between" (see inter-) + mittere "let go, send" (see mission).

Intermission is used in U.S. for what we call an interval (in a musical or dramatic performance). Under the influence of LOVE OF THE LONG WORD, it is beginning to infiltrate here and should be repelled; our own word does very well. [H.W. Fowler, "Modern English Usage," 1926]