hiatus

 
Pronunciation: /hʌɪˈeɪtəs/

noun (plural hiatuses)

[usually in singular]
  • a pause or break in continuity in a sequence or activity: there was a brief hiatus in the war with France
  • Prosody & Grammar a break between two vowels coming together but not in the same syllable, as in the ear and cooperate.

Derivatives

hiatal

adjective

Origin:

mid 16th century (originally denoting a physical gap): from Latin, literally 'gaping', from hiare 'gape'

Spelling rule

Add -es to make the plural of words ending in -s: (hiatuses).