interlude

American  

[in-ter-lood] / ˈɪn tərˌlud /

noun

• interludes
  plural

1. an intervening episode, period, space, etc.

   Synonyms:

   pause, intermission, respite, interval

2. a short dramatic piece, especially of a light or farcical character, formerly introduced between the parts or acts of miracle and morality plays or given as part of other entertainments.

3. one of the early English farces or comedies, as those written by John Heywood, which grew out of such pieces.

4. any intermediate performance or entertainment, as between the acts of a play.

5. an instrumental passage or a piece of music rendered between the parts of a song, church service, drama, etc.

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interlude British  

/ ˈɪntəˌluːd /

noun

1. a period of time or different activity between longer periods, processes, or events; episode or interval

2. theatre a short dramatic piece played separately or as part of a longer entertainment, common in 16th-century England

3. a brief piece of music, dance, etc, given between the sections of another performance

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interludial
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• interludes
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of interlude

1275–1325; Middle English < Medieval Latin interlūdium, equivalent to Latin inter- inter- + lūd ( us ) play + -ium -ium

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Explanation

An interlude is a brief period of time that comes in the middle of something. You might enjoy a relaxing lemonade interlude in the middle of a tough day at your road-paving job. Any block of time that comes as a break or a respite from an activity can be called an interlude, so you could talk about a quiet interlude after a noisy birthday party, or an interlude of peace after years of war. Interlude is often used to describe the pauses between acts of a play or during an intermission. In fact, the original meaning came from the Latin interludium, which means "between a play".

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

interlude interludes

There will be a drier and brighter interlude on Wednesday, with the rest of the week staying a little unsettled with further spells of rain.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

A poolside interlude channels the tension of distance between two people who were once close: The woman grasps a book but seems primarily absorbed in melancholy; the man broods around her.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026

It has stayed below 5% for a decade, if a brief interlude during the pandemic is omitted.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 11, 2026

Composed of three songs and one interlude, “Samuelito” takes its name from the childhood moniker some know him by today.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 25, 2026

There was a brief interlude while Gelifen objected, and his feathers were smoothed, and Mal ate more than her fair share of the remaining cheese and raised her eyebrows at Christopher, daring him to object.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

However, long-range forecasting is fraught with uncertainty and while the season as a whole may be mild, some chilly interludes are also anticipated.

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

Anchored on a near-orchestral soundstage, its 20 tracks ricochet from in-your-face punk dissonance to majestic broken-heart dirges, a lovely duet with St. Vincent, rootsy folk interludes and farfisa-rich lounge.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

While the tracks blend without interruption, many are stitched together with brief ambient interludes, during which Madonna often offers spiritual incantations about the healing power of music.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

His ongoing dispute with a folding bicycle and a long-running complaint about the behavior of the upstairs neighbors are, though they make for some very funny interludes, symptomatic of entrenched unhappiness.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 2026

Ed chose his music carefully, his dances having an opening act of excitement and greeting, a middle of pulsating, very danceable songs interspersed with romantic interludes, and then the inevitable ending.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

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Related Words

• breathing space
• idyll
• lull
• respite

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