layover
UK: ˈleɪəʊvə | US: ˈleɪoʊvər
n. a short stop or break in a journey, especially during air travel, where passengers wait to board another flight.
layover = lay<to place> + over<above/across>
- lay: From Old English lecgan (to place or put down), related to the act of pausing or stopping temporarily.
- over: From Old English ofer (above, across), implying a continuation or transition after the pause.
Etymology Origin:
The term "layover" emerged in the early 19th century, originally used in transportation contexts (e.g., stagecoaches). It combines "lay" (suggesting a temporary halt) and "over" (indicating the resumption of travel). The word reflects the logical progression of pausing ("laying" the journey aside) before moving "over" to the next leg.
We had a three-hour layover in Chicago before flying to Tokyo.
The airline provided a hotel voucher for passengers with overnight layovers.
She used her layover to explore the airport’s duty-free shops.
Delays caused our layover to extend by two hours.
A short layover can be exhausting if you have to rush between terminals.