interpellation
/ˌɪntɚpɛˈleɪʃən/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.46 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
14
Letters
5
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The act of interpellating (questioning); the period in which government officials are questioned about and explain an act, a policy or a point raised during a debate.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "While the petition was circulating, a Progressive deputy asked the Minister of the Interior what the Prussian government intended to do about it. The interpellation was intended to elicit a condemnation, but the minister’s pro forma reply that the government did not intend to abrogate Jewish rights was seen by the petitioners as an encouraging sign."
Etymology
From Middle French interpellation, from Latin interpellātiō; equivalent to interpellate + -ion or interpel + -ation.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: interpellation
- Suffix: interpellate, interpel