ETYM Latin, from hiare, hiatum, to gape; akin to Eng. yawn. Related to Yawn.
(Irregular plural: hiatuses).
1. A gap, in time or in space.
2. An opening; an aperture; a gap; a chasm; esp., a defect in a manuscript, where some part is lost or effaced; a space where something is wanting; a break.
Gap; pause, especially between vowels.