noun · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ɪnˈtɜː.stɪs/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ɪnˈtɚ.stəs/
1
noun
Meaning 1
A small opening or space between objects, especially adjacent objects or objects set closely together, such as between cords in a rope, components of a multiconductor electrical cable or atoms in a crystal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
1887, Osborne Reynolds, Experiments showing Dilatancy, in Notices of the Proceedings, Volume 11, Royal Institution of Great Britain, page 360, The tide leaves the sand, though apparently dry on the surface, with all its interstices perfectly full of water which is kept up to the surface of the sand by capillary attraction; at the same time the water is percolating through the sand from the sands above where the capillary action is not sufficient to hold the water. When the foot falls on this water-saturated sand it tends to change its shape, but it cannot do this without enlarging the interstices—without drawing in more water. This is a work of time, so that the foot is gone again before the sand has yielded.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A fragment of space.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
An interval of time required by the Roman Catholic Church between the attainment of different degrees of an order.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
A small interval of time free to be spent on activities other than one's primary goal.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: broadly
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
small opening between things
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: opening
6
noun
Meaning 6
a small structural space between tissues or parts of an organ
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the interstices of a network
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: structure, anatomical structure, complex body part, bodily structure, body structure
Narrower terms: areola
History
Etymology
From late Middle English interstice, from Old French interstice or directly from Latin interstitium (“a space between, gap, interval”), ultimately from intersistere (“to stand in between, to stop in the middle”), from inter- + sistere (“to stand, to stop”).
Across languages
Translations
28 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
междина
(meždina)
— small opening or space
Catalan:
interstici
— small opening or space
Dutch:
tussenruimte
— small opening or space
Dutch:
opening
— small opening or space
Esperanto:
interspaco
— small opening or space
Finnish:
väli
— small opening or space
Finnish:
rako
— small opening or space
French:
interstice
— small opening or space
Irish:
scáineadh
— small opening or space
Italian:
interstizio
— small opening or space
Occitan:
interstici
— small opening or space
Portuguese:
interstício
— small opening or space
Romanian:
interstițiu
— small opening or space
Russian:
зазо́р
(zazór)
— small opening or space
Russian:
промежу́ток
(promežútok)
— small opening or space
Russian:
расще́лина
(rasščélina)
— small opening or space
Scottish Gaelic:
eadar-fhosgladh
— small opening or space
Spanish:
intersticio
— small opening or space
Swedish:
mellanrum
— small opening or space
Swedish:
springa
— small opening or space
Swedish:
glipa
— small opening or space
Bulgarian:
промеждутък
(promeždutǎk)
— fragment of space
Finnish:
rakonen
— fragment of space
Finnish:
odotusaika
— Roman Catholicism: interval between attainment of different degrees of an order
Finnish:
väli
— small interval of time
Finnish:
rako
— small interval of time
Finnish:
tauko
— small interval of time
Russian:
промежу́ток
(promežútok)
— small interval of time
