different between orifice vs interstice

English

Etymology

From Middle French, from Old French, from Late Latin orificium (“an opening, literally the making of a mouth”), compound of os (“mouth”) + facio (“to make”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /????f?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /????f?s/

Noun

orifice (plural orifices)

1. A mouth or aperture, such as of a tube, pipe, etc.; an opening.

Translations

French

Etymology

From Late Latin orificium.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?.?i.fis/
• Rhymes: -is

Noun

orifice m (plural orifices)

1. an orifice

Further reading

• “orifice” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Etymology

Old French interstice, from Latin interstitium.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?n?t??.st?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?n?t?.st?s/

Noun

interstice (plural interstices)

1. A small opening or space between objects, especially adjacent objects or objects set closely together, as between cords in a rope or components of a multiconductor electrical cable or between atoms in a crystal.
2. (figuratively) A fragment of space.
3. An interval of time required by the Roman Catholic Church between the attainment of different degrees of an order.
4. (by extension) A small interval of time free to be spent on activities other than one's primary goal.

Quotations

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:interstice.

Synonyms

• (small opening or space between objects): chink, crack, cranny, crevice, fissure, gap, slit; see also Thesaurus:interspace or Thesaurus:hole

Derived terms

• interstitial

Translations

Further reading

• interstice in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• interstice in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??.t??.stis/

Noun

interstice m (plural interstices)

1. (religion) interstice
2. gap, interval

Derived terms

• interstitiel

Further reading

• “interstice” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).