intermission

UK: /ˌɪntə^rˈmɪʃ^ən/ US: /ˌɪntɚˈmɪʃən/ ,(in′tər mish′ən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•ter•mis•sion /ˌɪntɚˈmɪʃən/   n. 

1. an interval, as between acts of a play, parts of a performance, or periods of play in a sport:
   [countable] After a short intermission the play continued.
   [uncountable] During intermission they serve drinks and snacks.

See -mis-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•ter•mis•sion  (in′tər mish′ən), n. 

1. 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.
2. a period during which action temporarily ceases;
   an interval between periods of action or activity:
   They studied for hours without an intermission.
3. the act or fact of intermitting;
   state of being intermitted:
   to work without intermission.

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

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

intermission / ˌɪntəˈmɪʃən/ noun

1. an interval, as between parts of a film
2. a period between events or activities; pause
3. the act of intermitting or the state of being intermitted

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin intermissiō, from intermittere to leave off, intermit

ˌinterˈmissive adjective