moratorium
nounUK /ˌmɒ.ɹəˈtɔː.ɹɪ.əm/ · US /ˌmɔ.ɹəˈtɔ.ɹi.əm/
Etymology New Latin from Late Latin morātōrium, noun use of the neuter of morātōrius (“moratory, delaying”), from Latin moror (“to delay”), from mora (“delay”), from Proto-Indo-European *mere (“to delay, hinder”). See also moratory.
1
Law An authorization to a debtor, permitting temporary suspension of payments.
2
A suspension of an ongoing activity.
- Canada may put a moratorium on cloning for research.
- It so happened that at that time the moratorium on the death penalty caused by the Supreme Court decision in the Furman case was still in effect.1990, Gerhard Falk, Murder, an Analysis of its Forms, Conditions, and Causes, McFarland:
2 more examples
- If such a pause cannot be enacted quickly, governments should step in and institute a moratorium.2023 March 22, “Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter”, in Future of Life Institute:
- Proponents of an AI moratorium had argued that a patchwork of state and local AI laws is hindering progress in the AI industry and the ability of U.S. firms to compete with China.2025 July 1, Matt Brown and Matt O'Brien, “Senate strikes AI regulatory ban from GOP bill after uproar from the states”, in AP News:
3
Human sciences, Psychology, Sciences, Social science, Sociology A period of delay granted to someone, especially an adolescent or young adult, during which they are not yet required to take on adult obligations or make permanent commitments; an extended phase of identity exploration.
- Synonyms
- hiatus, interruption, recess
- Derived terms
- postmoratorium
- Related terms
- moratory