Make Your Point > Archived Issues > INTERSTICES

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pronounce INTERSTICES: Say it "in TUR stuh seeze." To hear it, click here. connect this word to others: Sometimes I'll be minding my own business, logging my recent workout in my fitness app, and I'll get this giant annoying ad that pops up, covering my entire screen, and I have to X it out before I can carry on. Don't you hate that? You're just trying to use your app, or just trying to load a web page, and suddenly your eyeballs are assaulted by a full-screen ad.   It's called an interstitial ad. It pops up in between certain actions or functions: I log my workout, I see the annoying ad, and then I land back on my homepage. Something interstitial--that is, something in the interstices--is standing in between things, existing in the gaps, living in the small spaces between other things. (That kind of makes the ads sound like roaches, doesn't it? Appropriate!) Inside those bold words, you can almost see the Latin verb stare, "to stand," the same one that gave us words like stance, status, statue, distance, constant, substance, circumstance, and obstinate (literally "standing by"). If we call something an interstice, we usually mean it's an empty space between things. But sometimes we mean it's a point of intersection between things: in other words, a __x__.  (To reveal any word with blanks, give it a click.)  definition: The word "interstices" has Latin roots that mean "spaces between," or more literally, "(things that) stand between." Interstices are little gaps or little spaces between things. This word has specific meanings in fields like physics, anatomy, and entomology, but the basic meaning is the same: interstices are the empty spaces outside of, or in between, the main things. grammatical bits: Part of speech: Plural noun: "Conversation was slow, and silence filled the interstices." Other forms:  The singular noun is "interstice," pronounced "in TUR stiss." We hardly ever need it. The adjective is "interstitial," pronounced "IN tur STISH ull." how to use it: When you're describing small, empty spots in space or time, and when words like "gaps," "slits," and "nooks and crannies" are too casual, pick the word "interstices," which sounds formal and academic. Talk about things that happen or exist in the interstices, often the interstices in, of, or between things: "a melody that filled the interstices in his thoughts," "the scenes we imagined that took place in the interstices of the story," "the interactions that must have taken place in the interstices between scenes." examples: "We may recount our lives as though they are a series of narrative climaxes, but it's in the interstices that we mostly live."    — Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 22 February 2019 "The historical thriller is...drawn to the unexplored interstices, the dank crevices of history."     — Lennard Kok, New York Times, 25 October 2019 has this page helped you understand "interstices"? Awesome, I'm glad it helped! Thanks for letting me know! If you have any questions about this word, please message me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. study it: Explain the meaning of "interstices" without saying "empty spaces" or "apertures." try it out: A video game researcher told the New York times that certain games on our phones "fit into the interstices of our lives," meaning they can be played for a few minutes here and there, in between tasks. What's something else that fits into the interstices of your life? Something you can enjoy in very small bursts, like while you're waiting in line at the store? If you like, use this space to write. (To save your work, copy and paste it into an email or a document.) before you review, play: Try to spend 20 seconds or more on the game below. Don’t skip straight to the review—first, let your working memory empty out. Our game this month is Everyday Etymologies! If you're in the habit of looking up the etymologies of everyday words (wait, you aren't?), then you find, occasionally, certain ones that strike you as particularly apt, cute, strange, or poetic. I'd like to share some of those finds with you this month. In each issue, I'll give you the etymology of an everyday word, and you supply the word. We'll start easy and move into some tougher ones as the month goes on, but every answer will be an everyday kind of word, one you've been familiar with since, say, adolescence at least. To see the answer, scroll to the bottom of the issue. Try this one today: This two-syllable adjective literally means "on the ground." It's the opposite of "boastful." review this word: 1. A near opposite of INTERSTICE is A. A BIG DEAL. B. THE MAIN EVENT. C. ONE'S BIG BREAK. 2. In Vonnegut's story "Harrison Bergeron," because George is too intelligent, the government has handicapped him with _____. He has to do all his thinking in the interstices. A. a drug that slows his thoughts B. a radio in his ear that blasts random loud sounds C. a pair of glasses that distorts everything he sees, like a carnival mirror Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. B Answer to the game question: Humble. You can trace this word to the Latin humus, "earth." a final word: I hope you're enjoying Make Your Point. It's made with love. I'm Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From my blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.