Etymology
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interrupt (v.)

c. 1400, "to interfere with a legal right," from Latin interruptus, past participle of interrumpere "break apart, break off, break through," from inter "between" (see inter-) + rumpere "to break" (see rupture (n.), and compare corrupt (adj.)). Meaning "to break into, break in upon, disturb the action of" (especially of speech) is from early 15c. in English (it is also in Latin). Related: Interrupted; interrupting.

interrupt (n.)

"action of interrupting," 1956, originally in computing in reference to programs, from interrupt (v.).

Entries linking to interrupt

inter- 
word-forming element used freely in English, "between, among, during," from Latin inter (prep., adv.) "among, between, betwixt, in the midst of" (also used extensively as a prefix), from PIE *enter "between, among" (source also of Sanskrit antar, Old Persian antar "among, between," Greek entera (plural) "intestines," Old Irish eter, Old Welsh ithr "among, between," Gothic undar, Old English under "under"), a comparative of root *en "in."

A living prefix in English from 15c. and used with Germanic as well as Latinate words. Spelled entre- in French; most words borrowed into English in that form were re-spelled 16c. to conform with Latin except entertain, enterprise. In Latin, spelling shifted to intel- before -l-, hence intelligence, etc.
rupture (n.)

late 14c., in medicine, "act of bursting or breaking," in reference to a vessel, etc. of the body, from Old French rupture and directly from Latin ruptura "the breaking (of a vein), fracture (of an arm or leg)," from past-participle stem of rumpere "to break" (from PIE root *runp- "to break;" see corrupt (adj.)).

Specifically as "abdominal hernia" from early 15c. The sense of "breach of friendly relations or concord" is by 1580s; the general sense of "act or fact of breaking or bursting" is by 1640s. Rupturewort (1590s) was held to be efficacious in treating hernias, etc.

updated on December 15, 2016

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Definitions of interrupt from WordNet
1
interrupt (v.)
make a break in;
We interrupt the program for the following messages
Synonyms: disrupt / break up / cut off
interrupt (v.)
destroy the peace or tranquility of;
Don't interrupt me when I'm reading
Synonyms: disturb
interrupt (v.)
interfere in someone else's activity;
Please don't interrupt me while I'm on the phone
Synonyms: disrupt
interrupt (v.)
terminate;
She interrupted her pregnancy
Synonyms: break
2
interrupt (n.)
a signal that temporarily stops the execution of a program so that another procedure can be carried out;
From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.

Dictionary entries near interrupt

interrogate

interrogation

interrogative

interrogator

interrogatory

interrupt

interruption

intersect

intersection

intersex

interspace

© 2001-2022 Douglas Harper