- Today's Word
Hiatus
[hi-AY-tus]
Definition
- (noun) A pause or break in something that typically continues, such as a gap in time or an interruption in a sequence of events. It often describes a temporary suspension of activities, work, or a series, with an implied intention to resume later.
Example
After touring non-stop for five years, the band announced they were taking a hiatus to focus on their families and personal projects.
Fun Fact
“Hiatus” comes directly from the Latin word “hiare,” meaning “to gape” or “to yawn.” In medieval times, monks who were copying manuscripts would use the word to describe gaps or missing sections in the texts they were transcribing. The term gained scientific significance in the 18th century when anatomists began using it to describe natural openings in organs and bones (like the hiatus hernia). In radio and television broadcasting, the concept of a “summer hiatus” became standard practice in the 1940s when shows would take scheduled breaks during summer months when viewership was low. This practice originated because early TV studios lacked air conditioning, making summer filming uncomfortable. Interestingly, in linguistics, a hiatus also refers to the meeting of two vowel sounds in adjacent syllables, like in the word “reality.” This diverse range of uses demonstrates how a word describing a simple gap has found its way into multiple specialized fields while maintaining its core meaning of a pause or break.
(verb) To make amends for wrongdoing or sin through deliberate acts of reparation or atonement.
He spent the decade after the verdict quietly expiating his role in the company’s collapse — funding the employees he’d left without pensions, one by one.