interposition

/ˈɪntərpəˌzɪʃən/

Other forms: interpositions

Interposition is intervening by inserting something between two people or groups. One example is your mom's interposition of the family dog between you and your sister in the back seat of the car before you can start fighting.

Interposition is from the Latin interpositionem, " insertion," and root words meaning "put" and "between." Sometimes interposition is a physical "putting between," like when one person steps in to break up a shoving match between two others. It can also be a verbal interruption. In U.S. politics, interposition occurs when a state claims that a federal law is unconstitutional and won't enforce it; in that case, the state is figuratively stepping in between its residents and the federal government.

Definitions of interposition

1. noun

   the act or fact of interposing one thing between or among others
   synonyms: intervention

   type of:

   emplacement, locating, location, placement, position, positioning

   the act of putting something in a certain place
2. noun

   the action of interjecting or interposing an action or remark that interrupts
   synonyms: interjection, interpellation, interpolation

   type of:

   break, disruption, gap, interruption

   an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity