moratorium

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /ˌmɔrəˈtɔriəm/ UK /ˌmɒrəˈtɔːriəm/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a temporary, officially agreed prohibition or suspension of an activity

The council imposed a moratorium on new construction permits.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a temporary, officially... suspension ban prohibition freeze halt embargo

Opposites

continuation resumption

Word family

Related forms moratory

Simplified etymology

Moratorium entered English in the late 19th century from modern Latin, in which it meant “a delaying.”

Etymology

A modern Latin coinage from Late Latin mōrātōrius ('delaying'), from Latin morārī ('to delay'), from mora ('delay').

mōrātōrius Latin morārī Latin mora Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# moratorium

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌmɔrəˈtɔriəm/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌmɒrəˈtɔːriəm/

## Meanings
1. a temporary, officially agreed prohibition or suspension of an activity

## Examples
- The council imposed a moratorium on new construction permits.

## Synonyms
- suspension
- ban
- prohibition
- freeze
- halt
- embargo

## Antonyms
- continuation
- resumption

## Related Forms
- moratory

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: mōrātōrius
- Root: morārī
- Root: mora

## Etymology
A modern Latin coinage from Late Latin mōrātōrius ('delaying'), from Latin morārī ('to delay'), from mora ('delay').

## AI Etymology
Moratorium is a modern Latin coinage from Late Latin mōrātōrius ('delaying'), from Latin morārī ('to delay'), from mora ('delay'). The etymological trail includes Latin mōrātōrius, Latin morārī, and Latin mora. As a noun, moratorium means a temporary, officially agreed prohibition or suspension of an activity. The same family is visible in related forms such as moratory.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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