English Reference
noun

cancellation

n.
US /ˌkænsəˈɫeɪʃən/ UK /kˌænsɪlˈeɪʃən/ can·cel·la·tion UK spelling cancelation, cancellation's, cancellation's

  1. 01 B1 Intermediate

    the act of stopping something that was already arranged or scheduled.

    the act of rescinding or voiding a scheduled event, booking, or arrangement.

    Simple

    The sudden cancellation of the flight left hundreds of passengers waiting at the airport.

    In context

    The last-minute cancellation of the keynote speaker forced the organisers to restructure the entire afternoon session of the conference.

    Usage

    Often used with 'of' followed by the event being cancelled.

    annulmentwithdrawalcalling off
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Formal Law

    the act of ending a legal agreement or a subscription.

    the formal termination of a contract, policy, or legal agreement.

    Simple

    You must give thirty days' notice for the cancellation of your gym membership.

    In context

    The legal team advised that the cancellation of the contract was justified due to a significant breach of the confidentiality clause.

    Usage

    Commonly appears in 'cancellation policy' or 'cancellation fee'.

    terminationrevocationnullification
  3. 03 C1 Advanced Technical Math

    the act of removing the same numbers from both sides of an equation.

    the operation of striking out common factors from the numerator and denominator of a fraction or from both sides of an equation.

    Simple

    The teacher explained how cancellation makes solving the fraction much faster.

    In context

    Through the cancellation of common variables on both sides of the equation, the complex formula was reduced to a basic linear form.

  4. 04 C2 Proficiency Technical

    a mark put on a postage stamp so it cannot be used again.

    a mark or perforation placed on a postage stamp to deface it and prevent its subsequent reuse.

    Simple

    The collector noticed that the cancellation on the old stamp was from a small town in 1920.

    In context

    Philatelists often value a rare cancellation more highly than the stamp itself, especially if the mark indicates a specific historical postal route.

    postmarkobliteration

From Latin cancellātiō, from cancellō + -tiō.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Origin Latin cancellātiō
Level B1 · Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated