Word
hiatus
Phoneticshia·tus
US/haɪˈeɪtəs/
UK/haɪˈeɪtəs/
Definitions
01a break or pause
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Formal
n. a period of time when something stops happening before it starts again.
n. a temporary gap, pause, or interruption in a continuous process or series.
“The band is taking a long hiatus to spend more time with their families.”
“After a three-year hiatus from the screen, the actress returned to star in a critically acclaimed independent drama.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02an opening in the body
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Medicine Technical
n. a natural opening or gap in an organ or part of the body.
n. a natural opening or passage through a bone or muscular structure.
“A hiatal hernia happens when part of the stomach pushes through a hiatus in the diaphragm.”
“The surgeon carefully identified the esophageal hiatus to ensure the repair did not restrict the patient's ability to swallow.”
03vowel break
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Technical
n. the sound of two vowel sounds coming together without a consonant between them.
n. the occurrence of two vowel sounds in adjacent syllables without an intervening consonant.
“In the word 'cooperate', there is a hiatus between the two 'o' sounds.”
“The poet avoided hiatus in his verses, preferring the smooth flow provided by elision or intervening consonants.”
Antonyms
Usage
Commonly follows the verb 'to go on' or 'to take'.
Real-World Examples
“As the band became rock heavyweights in the late 70s, Beard experienced drug addiction, leading to the band taking a hiatus.” “Pinkerton flopped ; Cuomo put Weezer on hiatus and went into hiding.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin hiātus (“opening”) (mid-16th century), from hiō (“stand open, yawn”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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