lapse
n. countablen. a short period where you lose your focus or fail to do something correctly. It can also mean a period of time that passes between two events.
n. a temporary failure in concentration, memory, or judgement; also refers to an interval or passage of time. In legal contexts, it describes the termination of a right or privilege through disuse or the passage of time.
A brief lapse in concentration caused the driver to miss the turn.
The insurance policy was cancelled after a lapse in monthly payments led to a breach of contract.
Despite his otherwise impeccable record, a single lapse of judgement during the final negotiations cost the firm its most lucrative partnership of the decade.
From Middle French laps, from Latin lāpsus, from lābī (“to slip”). Doublet of lapsus.
Often paired with 'of' when referring to time ('a lapse of time') or focus ('a lapse of concentration').