The act of temporarily suspending a meeting, court session, or legislative proceeding to a later time. It can be indefinite or scheduled for a specific future date.
From Old French 'ajourner,' from 'a-' (to) and 'jour' (day), literally meaning 'to put off to another day.' Entered English in the 14th century through legal and parliamentary contexts, maintaining its procedural meaning.
The word 'adjournment' literally means 'to another day,' but in practice it can mean anything from a five-minute bathroom break to shutting down proceedings indefinitely! In some legislatures, an adjournment 'sine die' (without day) effectively ends the entire session until the next term begins.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.