Intersession means: A US academic term for the brief break between semesters or terms -- often a few weeks in January or between spring and summer sessions. Some institutions use the period for accelerated intensive. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. It is an education-system term, so usage is institutional and routine.
intersession
A US academic term for the brief break between semesters or terms -- often a few weeks in January or between spring and summer sessions.
Definitions
#1·Apr 28, 2026
A US academic term for the brief break between semesters or terms -- often a few weeks in January or between spring and summer sessions. Some institutions use the period for accelerated intensive courses that would be impractical during a standard semester. The term is standard in American higher education but may not be recognized outside North America, where semester breaks are described in different ways.
She took an intensive Spanish course during intersession to get the language requirement out of the way.
Origin: From Latin 'inter' (between) + 'session'; academic administration coinage for periods between formal instructional sessions. Editorial expansion authored on Slangora.
For parents
Intersession means: A US academic term for the brief break between semesters or terms -- often a few weeks in January or between spring and summer sessions. Some institutions use the period for accelerated intensive. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. It is an education-system term, so usage is institutional and routine.
For ESL learners
intersession means: A US academic term for the brief break between semesters or terms -- often a few weeks in January or between spring and summer sessions. Some institutions use the period for. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
Cluster: normal
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#2·Apr 27, 2026
Between sessions.
Cluster: general
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#3·Apr 27, 2026
(US) A break between semesters.
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For specific readers
Why is this section here?
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
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Regional slang from around the English-speaking world — British, Australian, Irish, Caribbean, Nigerian, Filipino, AAVE, and the hyphenated-English dialects that make the internet sound local.
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Other words near "intersession" (I)
internet checkpointinternet pitstopinternistinternshipinterrupterinterserviceintersessionalinterspecialtyinterstateinterstate compactinterstaterintertrons
Browse all slang words starting with I.
Related terms
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Semantically related
- intersessional80%
Between sessions.
- intersessional77%
An adjective describing the period between formal sessions of a legislative body, court, international organization, or conference. Intersessional work often includes committee meetings, consultations, or preparatory negotiations that happen outside the official session calendar. The term is commonly found in diplomatic, parliamentary, and legal contexts — particularly in international law and UN documentation, where 'intersessional meetings' allow delegations to advance discussions between major conferences.
- January term63%
(US, education) A period in January where students and faculty can take part in learning and other activities outside of the formal academic terms.