Moratorium Definition
môrə-tôrē-əm, mŏr-
moratoria, moratoriums
noun
A lawful suspension of the payment of certain debts during a period of financial or civil distress.
American Heritage
A legal authorization, usually by a law passed in an emergency, to delay payment of money due, as by a bank or debtor nation.
Webster's New World
The effective period of such an authorization.
Webster's New World
Any authorized delay or stopping of some specified activity.
Webster's New World
Other Word Forms of Moratorium
Noun
Singular:
moratorium
Plural:
moratoria, moratoriumsOrigin of Moratorium
-
New Latin from Late Latin morātōrium, noun use of the neuter of morātōrius (“moratory, delaying"), from Latin moror (“I delay"), from mora (“delay"), from Proto-Indo-European *mere (“to delay, hinder"). See also moratory.
From Wiktionary
From Late Latin morātōrium neuter of morātōrius delaying from Latin morātus past participle of morārī to delay from mora delay
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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