Cessatio

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The act of ceasing or bringing something to a halt
2. a state of interruption or discontinuation in an activity or process
3. the formal termination of an event, action, or condition

Etymology: "Cessatio" is a Latin noun, the action noun formed from the verb "cessare," meaning "to delay, cease, or stop." That verb is a frequentative of "cedere," "to go, yield, or withdraw," so the underlying sense is of moving away or giving way until motion stops. The noun names the act of stopping itself. English took the word directly from Latin as "cessation," and its use in law and formal writing reflects that origin. The Latin "cessatio" also appears in medieval legal and ecclesiastical contexts, where it could refer to a suspension of duties or services, which is close to the modern sense of a formal halt. The English form "cessation" shares its root with "cease," which came into English through Old French "cesser," itself from Latin "cessare." So the English noun and verb are related both through the Latin source and through the French route that carried the verb.

Synonyms: cessation, pause, stop, end, halt

Antonyms: continuation, start, beginning, resumption