Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The interval of time between the end of a sovereign's reign and the accession of a successor.
  • noun A period of temporary suspension of the usual functions of government or control.
  • noun A gap in continuity.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun An intermission between reigns; an interval of time elapsing between the end of one reign and the beginning of the next, as in the case of a disputed or uncertain succession.
  • noun Hence An intermission in any order of succession; any breach of continuity in action or influence.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun The time during which a throne is vacant between the death or abdication of a sovereign and the accession of his successor.
  • noun Any period during which, for any cause, the executive branch of a government is suspended or interrupted.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The period of time between the end of a sovereign's reign and the accession of another sovereign.
  • noun A period of time during which normal executive leadership is suspended or interrupted.
  • noun An intermission in any order of succession; any breach of continuity in action or influence.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun the time between two reigns, governments, etc.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin : inter-, inter- + rēgnum, reign; see reign.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin inter- "between" + the accusative of regnum (which is regnum) meaning "reign", "power" or "kingdom". Literally meaning "between reign" or "between kingdom".

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word interregnum.

Examples

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • Odd that I remember this word clearly for only one reason: Jill Jolliffe's seminal work 'East Timor: Nationalism And Colonialism'.

    December 19, 2007

  • I know this from Foundation.

    December 19, 2007