hiatus

See also: Hiatus

English

WOTD – 27 May 2006

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin hiātus (“opening”) (mid-16th century), from hiō (“stand open, yawn”).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /haɪˈeɪtəs/
• (Philippines) IPA^(key): /hɐˈjaː.t̪ʊs/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪtəs

Noun

Examples (linguistics, words with vowels in hiatus)
reality (re–al-it-y) naïve (na–ïve) Hawaii (Ha-wai–i)

hiatus (countable and uncountable, plural hiatus or hiatuses)

1. A gap in a series, making it incomplete.

   Synonym: break

   • 1912, Robert Louis Stevenson, Records of a Family of Engineers‎^[1]:

     Even the mechanical engineer comes at last to an end of his figures, and must stand up, a practical man, face to face with the discrepancies of nature and the hiatuses of theory.

2. An interruption, break, pause or absence.

   Synonyms: breather, moratorium, recess; see also Thesaurus:pause

   The band decided to go on hiatus, citing creative differences.

   • 1895, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, The Stark Munro Letters: […], London: Longmans, Green, and Co., →OCLC:

     It is wonderful that you should have slipped back into your American life so easily after your English hiatus.

   • 2023 December 13, Mel Holley, “Open access operations help to boost First's figures”, in RAIL, number 998, page 20:

     After a ten-year dividend hiatus, shareholder payments only re-started in July 2022.

3. An temporary break from work, especially one which is unexpected.
4. (geology) A gap in geological strata.
   • 2012, Chinle Miller, “The Tectonic Forces of the Mesozoic”, in In Mesozoic Lands: The Mesozoic Geology of Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Kindle edition, page 33:

     The beginning of the Mesozoic Era on the Colorado Plateau is marked by a regional hiatus or break of sedimentary deposition that lasted about 25 to 30 Ma.

5. (anatomy) An opening in an organ.

   Hiatus aorticus is an opening in the diaphragm through which aorta and thoracic duct pass.

6. (prosody, phonetics, sometimes uncountable) A syllable break between two vowels, without an intervening consonant.

   Coordinate terms: diphthong, synizesis

   • 1891 February–December, Robert Louis Stevenson, In the South Seas […], New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1896, →OCLC:

     A hiatus is agreeable to any Polynesian ear; the ear even of the stranger soon grows used to these barbaric voids; but only in the Marquesan will you find such names as Haaii and Paaaeua, when each individual vowel must be separately uttered.

Derived terms

• adductor hiatus
• hiatal
• hiatic
• hiatus hernia
• hiatus magnus
• prehiatus

Translations

gap in a series

• Bulgarian: празнина (bg) f (praznina)
• Czech: mezera (cs) f
• Dutch: hiaat (nl) n, lacune (nl)
• Finnish: aukko (fi)
• French: hiatus (fr) m, lacune (fr) f
• Galician: hiato m
• German: Lücke (de) f
• Greek: χάσμα (el) n (chásma)
• Hungarian: kihagyás (hu), hézag (hu)
• Italian: iato (it) m, buco (it) m, lacuna (it) f
• Ottoman Turkish: آرالق (aralık)
• Polish: luka (pl) f
• Portuguese: hiato (pt) m, lacuna (pt) f
• Russian: пробе́л (ru) m (probél), про́пуск (ru) m (própusk), лаку́на (ru) f (lakúna)
• Swedish: uppehåll (sv) n, gap (sv) n

interruption, break or pause

• Bulgarian: прекъсване (bg) n (prekǎsvane)
• Czech: pauza (cs) f, přerušení (cs) n, přestávka (cs) f
• Dutch: hiaat (nl) n, gat (nl) n, onderbreking (nl), interruptie (nl), pauze (nl)
• Finnish: tauko (fi), keskeytys (fi)
• Georgian: პაუზა (ṗauza), შეჩერება (šečereba), ხტული (xṭuli)
• German: Unterbrechung (de) f, Pause (de) f
• Greek: παύση (el) f (páfsi)
• Hungarian: megszakítás (hu), szünetelés (hu), szünet (hu)
• Italian: pausa (it) f, iato (it) m, interruzione (it) f, periodo sabbatico m
• Japanese: 中断 (ja) (ちゅうだん, chūdan)
• Ottoman Turkish: آرالق (aralık)
• Plautdietsch: Bruch m
• Polish: przerwa (pl) m
• Russian: переры́в (ru) m (pererýv)
• Spanish: pausa (es) f, hiato (es) m
• Swedish: uppehåll (sv) n, avbrott (sv) n

temporary break from work

• Bulgarian: празнина (bg) f (praznina)
• Dutch: vakantie (nl) n
• Finnish: loma (fi)
• German: Unterbrechung (de) f, Urlaub (de) m, Ferien (de) pl, Auszeit (de) f
• Italian: iato (it) m, vacanza (it) f, pausa (it) f, periodo sabbatico m
• Norwegian: ferie (no)
• Ottoman Turkish: آرالق (aralık)
• Portuguese: hiato (pt)
• Spanish: vacaciones (es) f pl, descanso (es) m
• Swedish: uppehåll (sv) n

gap in geological strata

• Finnish: aukko (fi)
• French: hiatus (fr) m, discordance (fr) f
• German: Hiat (de) m, Hiatus (de) m
• Italian: breccia (it) f, iato (it) m
• Russian: тре́щина (ru) f (tréščina)
• Spanish: hiato (es) m
• Swedish: hiatus (sv)

anatomy: opening in an organ

• Arabic: فُرْجَة f (furja)
• Catalan: hiat (ca) m
• Czech: hiát (cs) m, skulina f
• Finnish: aukko (fi), rako (fi), hiatus (fi)
• French: hiatus (fr) m
• German: Hiat (de) m, Hiatus (de) m
• Italian: iato (it) m
• Kurdish:

  Northern Kurdish: kortal (ku) f

• Latin: hiatus m
• Portuguese: hiato (pt)
• Spanish: hiato (es) m
• Swedish: hiatus (sv)
• Tagalog: lusutan

syllable break between two vowels

• Asturian: hiatu (ast)
• Czech: hiát (cs) m, průzev (cs) m
• Dutch: hiaat (nl) n
• Faroese: ljóðglopp n
• Finnish: hiatus (fi), tavunraja, vokaaliyhtymä (two vowels with a hiatus)
• French: hiatus (fr) m
• German: Hiat (de) m, Hiatus (de) m
• Greek: χασμωδία (el) f (chasmodía)
• Hungarian: hangrés (hu), hangűr, hiátus (hu), magánhangzó-torlódás
• Indonesian: hiatus (id)
• Irish: séanas m
• Italian: iato (it) m
• Polish: rozziew m
• Portuguese: hiato (pt) m
• Russian: зия́ние (ru) n (zijánije), хиа́тус (ru) n (xiátus)
• Scottish Gaelic: hiatas m
• Spanish: hiato (es) m
• Swedish: hiatus (sv), vokalmöte (sv) n

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• German: ^{(please verify)} Hiatus (de), ^{(please verify)} Hiat (de), ^{(please verify)} Lücke (de) f
• Irish: ^{(please verify)} hiatas m
• Italian: ^{(please verify)} iato (it) m
• Japanese: ^{(please verify)} 途切れ (ja) (とぎれ, togire), ^{(please verify)} 間 (ja) (かん, kan)
• Korean: (jungjeol) ^{(please verify)} 중절 (ko) (jungjeol)
• Mandarin: ^{(please verify)} 間隙 / 间隙 (zh) (jiānxì), (jiànxì) ^{(please verify)} 间隙 (zh) (jiānxì)

Anagrams

• Atushi, hutias

Finnish

Etymology

Internationalism (see English hiatus), ultimately from Latin hiātus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhiɑtus/, [ˈhiɑ̝t̪us̠]
• Rhymes: -iɑtus
• Syllabification^(key): hi‧a‧tus
• Hyphenation^(key): hia‧tus

Noun

hiatus

1. (linguistics) hiatus (syllable break between two vowels)
2. (anatomy) hiatus (opening in an organ)

Declension

Inflection of hiatus (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)
nominative		hiatus	hiatukset
genitive		hiatuksen	hiatusten hiatuksien
partitive		hiatusta	hiatuksia
illative		hiatukseen	hiatuksiin
		singular	plural
nominative		hiatus	hiatukset
accusative	nom.	hiatus	hiatukset
	gen.	hiatuksen
genitive		hiatuksen	hiatusten hiatuksien
partitive		hiatusta	hiatuksia
inessive		hiatuksessa	hiatuksissa
elative		hiatuksesta	hiatuksista
illative		hiatukseen	hiatuksiin
adessive		hiatuksella	hiatuksilla
ablative		hiatukselta	hiatuksilta
allative		hiatukselle	hiatuksille
essive		hiatuksena	hiatuksina
translative		hiatukseksi	hiatuksiksi
abessive		hiatuksetta	hiatuksitta
instructive		—	hiatuksin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of hiatus (Kotus type 39/vastaus, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative hiatukseni hiatukseni accusative nom. hiatukseni hiatukseni gen. hiatukseni genitive hiatukseni hiatusteni hiatuksieni partitive hiatustani hiatuksiani inessive hiatuksessani hiatuksissani elative hiatuksestani hiatuksistani illative hiatukseeni hiatuksiini adessive hiatuksellani hiatuksillani ablative hiatukseltani hiatuksiltani allative hiatukselleni hiatuksilleni essive hiatuksenani hiatuksinani translative hiatuksekseni hiatuksikseni abessive hiatuksettani hiatuksittani instructive — — comitative — hiatuksineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative hiatuksesi hiatuksesi accusative nom. hiatuksesi hiatuksesi gen. hiatuksesi genitive hiatuksesi hiatustesi hiatuksiesi partitive hiatustasi hiatuksiasi inessive hiatuksessasi hiatuksissasi elative hiatuksestasi hiatuksistasi illative hiatukseesi hiatuksiisi adessive hiatuksellasi hiatuksillasi ablative hiatukseltasi hiatuksiltasi allative hiatuksellesi hiatuksillesi essive hiatuksenasi hiatuksinasi translative hiatukseksesi hiatuksiksesi abessive hiatuksettasi hiatuksittasi instructive — — comitative — hiatuksinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative hiatuksemme hiatuksemme accusative nom. hiatuksemme hiatuksemme gen. hiatuksemme genitive hiatuksemme hiatustemme hiatuksiemme partitive hiatustamme hiatuksiamme inessive hiatuksessamme hiatuksissamme elative hiatuksestamme hiatuksistamme illative hiatukseemme hiatuksiimme adessive hiatuksellamme hiatuksillamme ablative hiatukseltamme hiatuksiltamme allative hiatuksellemme hiatuksillemme essive hiatuksenamme hiatuksinamme translative hiatukseksemme hiatuksiksemme abessive hiatuksettamme hiatuksittamme instructive — — comitative — hiatuksinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative hiatuksenne hiatuksenne accusative nom. hiatuksenne hiatuksenne gen. hiatuksenne genitive hiatuksenne hiatustenne hiatuksienne partitive hiatustanne hiatuksianne inessive hiatuksessanne hiatuksissanne elative hiatuksestanne hiatuksistanne illative hiatukseenne hiatuksiinne adessive hiatuksellanne hiatuksillanne ablative hiatukseltanne hiatuksiltanne allative hiatuksellenne hiatuksillenne essive hiatuksenanne hiatuksinanne translative hiatukseksenne hiatuksiksenne abessive hiatuksettanne hiatuksittanne instructive — — comitative — hiatuksinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative hiatuksensa hiatuksensa accusative nom. hiatuksensa hiatuksensa gen. hiatuksensa genitive hiatuksensa hiatustensa hiatuksiensa partitive hiatustaan hiatustansa hiatuksiaan hiatuksiansa inessive hiatuksessaan hiatuksessansa hiatuksissaan hiatuksissansa elative hiatuksestaan hiatuksestansa hiatuksistaan hiatuksistansa illative hiatukseensa hiatuksiinsa adessive hiatuksellaan hiatuksellansa hiatuksillaan hiatuksillansa ablative hiatukseltaan hiatukseltansa hiatuksiltaan hiatuksiltansa allative hiatukselleen hiatuksellensa hiatuksilleen hiatuksillensa essive hiatuksenaan hiatuksenansa hiatuksinaan hiatuksinansa translative hiatuksekseen hiatukseksensa hiatuksikseen hiatuksiksensa abessive hiatuksettaan hiatuksettansa hiatuksittaan hiatuksittansa instructive — — comitative — hiatuksineen hiatuksinensa

Synonyms

• (opening in an organ): aukko, avanne

See also

• (linguistics): vokaaliyhtymä

Anagrams

• haisut, haitsu, hitaus

French

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin hiātus (“opening”), from hiō (“stand open”).

Pronunciation

• ^{(mute h)} IPA^(key): /ja.tys/
• (proscribed) ^{(aspirated h)}

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

Noun

hiatus m (invariable)

1. hiatus, gap

   Synonym: lacune

2. (phonetics) hiatus

Further reading

• “hiatus”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Indonesian

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin hiātus (“hiatus, opening, gap, aperture, cleft”).

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /hiˈatus/ [hiˈa.t̪ʊs]
• Rhymes: -atus
• Syllabification: hi‧a‧tus

Noun

hiatus (plural hiatus-hiatus)

1. (linguistics) hiatus

Further reading

• “hiatus”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Latin

Alternative forms

• hyātus (Medieval Latin)

Etymology

From hiō +‎ -tus.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [hiˈaː.tʊs]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [iˈaː.tus]

Noun

hiātus m (genitive hiātūs); fourth declension

1. a hiatus, opening (especially of the mouth), gap, aperture, cleft

   Synonyms: rīma, rictus

2. a longing, desire

Declension

Fourth-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	hiātus	hiātūs
genitive	hiātūs	hiātuum
dative	hiātuī	hiātibus
accusative	hiātum	hiātūs
ablative	hiātū	hiātibus
vocative	hiātus	hiātūs

Synonyms

• hiantia

Descendants

• → Catalan: hiat
• → English: hiatus
• → French: hiatus
• → Italian: iato
• → Portuguese: hiato
• → Romanian: hiat
• → Spanish: hiato

References

• “hiatus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “hiatus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• "hiatus", in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “hiatus”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Malay

Etymology

Borrowed from English hiatus.

Pronunciation

• (Baku) IPA^(key): /ˈhjatus/ [ˈhja.t̪us]
• Rhymes: -atus, -us
• Hyphenation: hia‧tus

Noun

hiatus (plural hiatus-hiatus or hiatus²)

1. hiatus
   1. a gap in a series, making it incomplete
   2. an interruption, break or pause
   3. (anatomy) an opening in an organ
   4. (linguistics) a syllable break between two vowels, without an intervening consonant

Further reading

• "hiatus" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin hiatus.

Noun

hiatus m (invariable)

1. alternative form of hiato

Romanian

Noun

hiatus n (plural hiatusuri)

1. alternative form of hiat