interruption
n. C / Un. something that stops an action or a person from speaking for a short time. You might experience this when someone walks into a room while you are working.
n. the act of breaking the continuity of a process, speech, or activity; an instance of such a break. Often implies a temporary cessation rather than a permanent end.
I am sorry for the interruption, but you have a phone call.
The speaker handled the constant interruptions from the audience with great patience and professionalism.
Frequent interruptions in the workflow can significantly decrease productivity, as the human brain requires several minutes to regain deep focus after a distraction.
From Middle English interrupcioun, from Old French interrupcion, from Latin interruptio.
Countable when referring to specific instances; uncountable when referring to the general state of being interrupted.